Ooh, Shiny Syndrome
by NilesDaughter
Summary: What happens when Roy Mustang's niece and Jean Havoc's little sister arrive in Central? Mayhem. RoyxOC, EdxOC, FueryxOC. WARNING: This is based off a role-play with Bax Embre, so expect AU and OOC, as well as a fair amount of OCs.
1. New Arrival, Old Friend

Chapter One: New Arrival, Old Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', and Jackie Havoc is Bax Embre's OC.**

**Author's Note: This fanfiction is, once again, based off a role-play with Bax Embre, so please excuse the AU and OOC.**

The train was awfully quiet as Ashlynn Mustang looked out the window, watching the rolling countryside pass. She sighed and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She pulled out a letter from her jacket and scanned over her uncle's words. He invited her to come and live with him in Central, since her parents had died, and she had nowhere else to go.

"Attention, all passengers. Resembool Station coming up in five minutes."

Ash tucked the letter back into her jacket and looked out the window again. _Resembool…It's been too long…

* * *

_

Ash stood outside of Automail Rockbell for a few moments before knocking. Winry Rockbell opened the door and beamed.

"Ash! Come on in!"

"Hey, Winry," she replied with a smile as she followed the blond into the house.

Ash noticed a young woman in her mid-twenties standing by the couch. Her bright yellow-orange hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, a set of messy bangs hiding her face. The bright orange coat she wore was reminiscent of a tiger, and her stance made her seem like someone that shouldn't be messed with.

Winry turned to Ash. "I have to take care of her first. I'll be right down. Jackie?"

The woman turned away from the window, green eyes sparkling, and followed Winry upstairs. Ash looked around and sat down on the couch to wait.

"OW!"

Ash jumped in surprise and looked up at the ceiling as three more _ow_s followed the first. She heard footsteps, and looked over to see Winry coming back down the stairs, clapping her hands together.

"Okay, Ash, your turn. Hold out your arm."

Ash stood up, shrugging off her jacket. She took off her shirt, leaving only a camisole so that Winry could inspect her automail arm.

"It seems to be in working order, but it's been awhile since you stopped by…Hold out your other arm."

Ash did as she was told, and Winry _tsked_.

"I thought so…You need an adjustment. You've grown out since I last saw you."

"All right," Ash said, fighting a grimace.

Winry detached the automail and left the room. Ash sighed and flopped down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. After a while, she heard heavy footsteps coming down the stairs again. She sat up, noticing the same woman walking heavily down the stairs. She now wore only a tank top and shorts, her four automail limbs shining in the sunlight. Ash's eyes widened as she watched the woman head towards the kitchen.

"Milk. Now," the woman demanded, before she turned to go back upstairs with a full glass of milk, her recently fierce expression softened as she began to hum happily to herself.

One of Ash's eyebrows rose in confusion, lots of questions now aroused by this newcomer.

* * *

Later that evening, Winry returned with Ash's newly adjusted automail arm. She attached the limb, and looked up at the black-haired girl.

"I'm going to reconnect the nerves now."

Ash nodded and gritted her teeth, letting out a painful groan when she felt the all-too-familiar shock of the reconnection. Once her nerves had stopped tingling, she slowly clenched and unclenched her hand, getting used to the new limb.

"So, who's the other customer?" Ash asked curiously.

"Well, I think she's a State Alchemist, because she has a pocketwatch, but it looks _really _old, so it might just be an heirloom or something."

Ash nodded, and Winry continued.

"Granny is actually the one that found her twenty years ago and gave her the automail. I don't really know much about her, but she comes in once and a while for check-ups and replacements."

Ash nodded again and stood up. She put her shirt back on and slipped into her jacket before bending down to pick up her suitcase. "Thanks, Winry. Sorry to be going so soon, but I gotta go. I'll be back for a visit soon."

"Wait, Ash!" Winry called, following her to the door. "Could you wait until tomorrow, when she leaves?"

"Why?"

"Please? I don't want to be left alone with her!"

Ash nodded slowly, though she was more than a little confused. "Sure thing."

"Thank you," Winry sighed gratefully. "Besides, the next train out of here comes tomorrow."

"You've got a point," Ash laughed.

* * *

The next morning, Winry stood in the doorway, waving goodbye to Ash and the woman as the two set down the dirt path. Ash was beginning to understand why Winry was so freaked out by her—it was getting to the point where Ash wouldn't have been surprised if the woman started skipping down the road in time with the song she hummed.

The two arrived at the train station, boarding the one bound for Central. The woman followed Ash and sat down across from her. Ash fidgeted a little before looking out the window. Not long after the train pulled out of the station, the woman turned in her seat so that she was lying on the floor with her feet propped up on the seat. Ash tried to ignore her unexpected companion, hoping that they would reach Central soon.

The train ride proved to be awkward, since neither Ash nor the woman made any attempt at conversation. When the train pulled into Central Station, Ash was relieved to get off. Pulling out her uncle's letter, she headed out for headquarters. She glanced at the directions her uncle had written, but she felt like she was being followed. When she peeked over her shoulder, she noticed an all-too-familiar orange jacket not far behind her. She sighed and looked down at the paper, hoping the woman would go away.

Ash stopped at a street corner, glancing down at the directions again. She looked up, frowning, before looking over her shoulder again. The woman was still following her. She shook her head, and continued on.

Finally, she reached a huge walled complex. She went in, glancing over her shoulder once again. The woman had finally disappeared. Ash sighed and relief and entered the building. At the front desk, she asked for Colonel Roy Mustang, and set off towards her uncle's office.

She took a deep breath and knocked before peeking her head inside. "Uncle Roy?"

Roy Mustang looked up, then jumped slightly in surprise. "Ash? I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow…"

"Sorry…Do you want me to come back later, or…?"

"No, no, it's fine." Roy gestured to one of the couches before his desk. "Sit down, and we'll go home just as soon as I let everyone know you're here."

Ash sat down. "Thanks for letting me stay with you, Uncle."

He nodded and returned to his work. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Roy said before looking up from the paperwork before him. This time, he actually yelped and almost fell out of his seat.

"Hey, Roy." It was the same woman from the Rockbells'. She smiled and waved.

"J-Jackie! Where have you been the last twenty years?"

"Oh, here and there," Jackie replied nonchalantly. "I just wanted to stop by and say hello." She smiled again. "Bye!" She left, closing the door behind her.

Ash looked from her uncle to the door, wondering what had just happened.

Roy sighed and flopped down into his chair, rubbing his temples. "What's Jean going to say?"

* * *

That night, Ash stood by the front door as Roy's subordinates arrived to meet her. Roy introduced her to all of them. She smiled shyly, and greeted them.

"This is Warrant Officer Vato Falman…Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda…Master Sergeant Kain Fuery…Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc…First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye…and Edward and Alphonse Elric…Hey, Lieutenant, no smoking in my house."

Ash quickly warmed up to everyone. She mingled around the room, getting to know everyone, since she'd be working under her uncle.

"So, what sort of alchemy do you specialize in?" Alphonse asked curiously.

"Water alchemy," Ash replied, brushing her hair out of her face.

Everyone in the room, aside from Roy, laughed.

"Poor Colonel…His own niece could render him useless…" Jean chuckled.

Ash laughed as her uncle smacked the back of Jean's head. She really liked being here…

"So, Jean, how's your sister?" Roy asked.

Jean scowled. "How would I know, sir? I haven't seen either of them in almost twenty years!" He stood up and stomped outside.

"Oh…" Roy murmured.

Not long after, he told everyone that they should head home, since they still had to go to work the next day.

After everyone had left, Ash looked at her uncle. "What's this about not seeing Jackie for twenty years?"

Roy sighed. "Twenty years ago, Jackie and her twin sister, Lily, passed their alchemy exams, the youngest to do so. The records show Fullmetal as pulling off that record, but the Havoc twins beat him by five years. The night they passed their exams, the two were kidnapped, and no one's heard from them since…until today. But I guess Jackie hasn't gone to see Jean, yet…" He sighed again. "Let's head to bed."

* * *

Ash stared out the window absent-mindedly. _I should be studying…_she thought, dancing out into the hallway. She saw a familiar looking ponytail bob past. She stood and followed Jackie, noticing that she stopped outside one of the offices, peeking into the door with a serene smile.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked, causing Jackie to jump and look around wildly.

"Oh, it's you," Jackie sighed in relief.

"Why don't you just go in there and say 'hi'?"

Jackie sighed. "That's easier said than done."

"Why?"

"You can't exactly go up to your brother and say, 'Hey, I haven't seen you in twenty years! I've gone through hell and back to get to this point, and our sister might be dead…But it's great to see you!'" With that, Jackie turned on her heel and walked off down the hallway.


	2. In Memory Of

Chapter Two: In Memory Of…

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist' or Jackie.**

**Author's Note: Please excuse the AU and OOC, since this is based off an RP.**

_Another day at the office…_Ash thought, filing some paperwork her uncle had asked her to organize. She looked out the window, wishing she were outside, before returning to the task at hand. She shifted through the paperwork on her desk, trying to locate the least painstaking one to complete, when she heard the creak outside of the office.

She shook her head. _Honestly, Jackie._

She continued writing on the forms she had to complete when she heard a second creak, and then the crash of metal on wood, followed by heavy footsteps and another resounding crash.

_Crap…_Ash thought, getting to her feet and running out of the office to see if Jackie was okay. She waved away the curious soldiers opening their office doors, before coming to the top of the stairs at the end of the hall. She noticed Jackie was in a heap at the bottom of them, one of her automail legs disconnected and stuck in the railing. Ash ran down the stairs to assist her.

"Here you go," Ash said as she handed Jackie her automail limb.

"Thanks," Jackie said, sitting up and pulling out a small wrench from her pocket. "Now I can reconnect it slowly, for once," she chuckled under her breath before starting the reconnection. She suddenly collapsed.

Ash shook her head. "No wonder that part's done quickly…Now, what am I supposed to do with her…?" Ash suddenly smirked.

She knelt down and hoisted Jackie up, supporting the older woman as she slowly made her way upstairs. She stopped outside of Jean's door and knocked.

"Ash?"

"Good afternoon, Lieutenant. I brought you something." Ash then entered the office, bringing Jackie in with her.

"Jackie!" Jean exclaimed.

* * *

Jackie Havoc opened her eyes. _What the—? Where am I…?_ She looked around, and spotted her older brother, Jean, sitting beside her, looking at her with concern. _Crap…_she thought as she spotted Roy's niece behind her brother.

"I am going to _kill _you," she mouthed before she looked up at Jean with a sheepish expression.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lieutenant, Jackie." The young Mustang hurried out of the room.

A silence fell between the Havoc siblings, before Jean finally broke the silence.

"So…What happened to you? I just remember those people taking the two of you away, and knocking me out when I tried to come after you…"

"Maybe some other time," Jackie replied, hugging her knees to her chest. "It's just good to be back."

"But what about Lily?"

Jackie fell silent, fighting the urge to cry. "I honestly don't know," she whispered.

* * *

"Jackie, can you please tell me what happened?" Jean begged at lunch the next day.

Jackie sighed. "Well…" She looked around and noticed soldiers from every side of the cafeteria leaning in to eavesdrop. "Mind your own business, people!" she growled before sighing again. "You remember the night we were taken? It was right after we had passed our alchemy exams."

Jean nodded.

"Well, I didn't wake up until much later. When I did, Lily told me that we were far from home. And we soon found out that the people that took us…were Homunculi."

Jackie glared at everyone as muttering broke out among the soldiers before continuing.

"They did things to us… Lily wasn't reacting well to the experiments, but I managed to make her better…Not long after that, I lost my arms and legs, and Lily promised she'd get us out. So, we escaped one night. We got as far as the edge of Resembool before they caught up to us. Lily hid me, but they took her again.

"The next day, Pinako Rockbell found me and gave me my automail. As soon as I was able to walk, I went back to where they had taken Lily, but all I found was a puddle of blood."

The entire cafeteria was dead silent.

"Who the freak was eavesdropping!" Jackie demanded, and everyone quickly busied themselves with their food.

Jackie sighed again.

"So…Lily?" Jean asked.

"I don't know if she's alive or dead. I'm sorry." Jackie stared at her plate, poking at her food.


	3. Truth or Dare

Chapter Three: Truth or Dare

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or Jackie.**

**Author's Note: Since this is based off an RP, please excuse the AU and OOC.**

"Jackie, get dressed."

Jackie looked up at her brother from where she lay on the couch. "Why?"

"The colonel wants to have a party. Now get dressed."

Jackie groaned and went upstairs, changing into dress pants before stomping back downstairs.

"You didn't even change," Jean sighed.

"I changed my pants. Now, let's go," Jackie said, already heading out the door.

Jean rolled his eyes and followed his sister.

At the Mustang household, Roy's niece stood on the fringe of the room. Jackie looked over and approached her.

"So, you're Roy's niece?"

The young girl nodded.

"Technically, we haven't really properly introduced ourselves. I'm Jackie Havoc, the Tigershadow Alchemist."

"Ash Mustang."

The two shook hands as Roy asked for everyone to sit in a circle.

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Just do it! We're playing a game."

"Well, there's only a few games I can think of that require sitting in a circle," Jackie said. "Just as long as it's not—"

"Truth or Dare!" Roy proclaimed, and everyone groaned.

"Great…" Jackie said. "Wait! If I recall, the last time we played this, Jean ended up falling out of a tree and breaking his arm! Okay, let's play!"

"Oh, great, she remembered…" Jean groaned, planting his face in his palm.

"No breaking limbs this time," Roy warned.

"Aw…Can we leave now?" Jackie begged her brother.

"I'll start!" Roy said. "I choose…Lieutenant Hawkeye! Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"All right…Do you like me?"

Riza blinked once, then quite coolly said, "No, sir."

The others laughed as Riza looked around the circle to choose the next victim. They bounced around the circle a few times before it returned to Roy.

"Colonel, Truth or Dare?" Jean asked.

"Dare!"

"You have to dump a cup of cold water on your head."

"But—"

"You chose a dare, Colonel. Unless you want to chicken out…"

Roy sighed, stood up, and went to the kitchen. When he returned, his was dripping wet. He shook his hair out of his eyes and looked around the circle.

"Ash!" he finally called out. "Truth or Dare?"

"…Truth," she finally said.

Roy looked thoughtful for a moment before he finally smirked. "Do you like someone?"

Ash blushed and looked down at her lap. "Yeah…" she said.

Roy's previously good-humored expression darkened slightly as he demanded, "Who is it?"

"Sorry, sir, but you can't ask her that," Falman pointed out.

"Dammit!" Roy muttered as a red-faced Ash looked around the circle.

"Jackie, truth or Dare?"

"Both."

"Do you like someone?"

"Yes," Jackie replied, her cheeks pink.

"Then I dare you to take a truth—who is it?"

Jackie flushed even more as she scooted closer to Ash. "Roy," she whispered.

"What!" Ash exclaimed as Jackie resumed her original spot, now cherry-red.

The game continued. Alphonse looked around the circle, before he called on Ash.

Ash thought for a little bit before saying, "Dare."

"Okay! Um…Brother?"

"I'm not helping you come up with a dare!" Edward told him.

"Okay…Well…Oh!" Alphonse whispered into Edward's ear.

Edward smirked. "That would be so evil!"

"I know!" Alphonse looked at Ash. "Okay, I dare you to drink some of your uncle's sake!'

"What?" Ash said.

"Alphonse! She's underage!" Roy exclaimed.

Ash sighed. "It's okay, Uncle. I chose a dare, and now I have to go through with it." She stood up and went to the kitchen. When she returned, she looked unsteady on her feet.

"You okay?" Roy asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I 'm perfectly fine, Uncle." Her speech was slow and uncertain. She managed to resume her place in the circle before she fell over.

"Um…I guess we should—"

Ash suddenly sat up again, seemingly wide-awake and sober. "What's going on?" she asked.

"We're playing Truth or Dare…Are you okay…?" Roy asked.

"I love that game! Whose turn is it?"

"Yours…" Jackie said, sensing that they were all thinking the same thing: _She's acting just like the Colonel…_

"Great! I choose…Lieutenant Havoc! Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," he replied automatically.

Ash grinned devilishly, and Jean's face fell.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said that…"

"You have to kiss Lieutenant Hawkeye," Ash smirked.

Jean blanched before reluctantly rising to his feet. He walked across the circle to where Riza was sitting, looking as if he were approaching his death sentence. "Sorry," he muttered.

Riza crossed her arms. "Just do it."

Jean fulfilled his dare before returning to his seat, flushing. "Jackie, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare."

"Tell me who you like."

Jackie turned bright red once again as she whispered in her brother's ear.

Jean's reaction was similar to Ash's. "Seriously!"

Jackie looked down at her lap, flushing furiously.

"Damn! I should've dared you to tell everyone else!"

Jackie suddenly glared at him. "Be glad you didn't…"

Jean scratched the back of his head, laughing nervously. "Yeah, you're probably right…"

* * *

"Ash? Ash?" Someone was gently shaking her, trying to wake her up.

"Nngh…?" Ash opened her eyes slowly, rubbing them. Her head was pounding as she looked up to see her uncle looking down at her. "What is it, Uncle Roy?"

"Jackie's sleeping downstairs," he whispered, eyes wide. "I don't want to wake her up, but she needs to go home."

Ash looked at him in confusion. "And…?"

"Could you wake her up?"

Ash groaned, "Fine," she said, standing up and swaying slightly. _I'm never drinking again…_

"And whatever you do, don't poke her or get her wet!" Roy called after her.

"Okay," Ash said, going downstairs to find Jackie fast asleep on the couch. Ash watched her for a few minutes before sighing. "I honestly don't know how I'll wake her up…Better use my right arm, then…" She approached the older woman and gently poked her.

Ash didn't have time to register what happened. She suddenly found that her automail had gone limp, and that Jackie was now wide-awake, and in a defensive position with her right arm transmuted into a really huge sword. After Jackie had established that it was only Ash, she relaxed, laughing nervously.

"Sorry about that…" Jackie said, pointing to Ash's now broken automail as she scratched the back of her head.

Ash glared at her.


	4. Could It Be?

Chapter Four: Could It Be…?

**Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or Jackie; they belong to their rightful owners.**

**Note: Excuse the OOC and AU since this is based off an RP with Bax Embre.**

Ash refused to talk to Jackie during the entire train ride to Resembool. When they approached Automail Rockbell, Winry was on the second floor balcony.

"Back so so—Ash, what happened to your arm!"

Ash hid behind Jackie. "It was all her fault!" she squeaked.

"Thanks!" Jackie scoffed.

Up above, Winry planted her face in her pal. "Come on in," she sighed, turning away to go inside as Ash and Jackie went to the door.

* * *

Once the two had returned to Central and to work, Jackie quickly became irritated. Except for Jean and Ash, Roy and his subordinates were trying to figure out who it was that she liked.

"So, who is it?" Riza asked.

Jackie shook her head.

"Come on, it can't be that bad," Fuery added.

"Unless it's the Crimson Alchemist…" Breda said, and everyone at the table shivered.

"Who is it? Who is it? Who is it? Who is…?" Roy asked repeatedly, poking Jackie each time he asked.

Jackie groaned as the torment continued. Ash gave her a sympathetic look from across the cafeteria, but she couldn't help her friend. She left the cafeteria and went to the library so she could study for the alchemy exam that was quickly approaching.

Ash ran her finger along the worn spines of the alchemy books, pulling a few off the shelves and carried them over to a table. She set them down with a heavy but muffled _THUD_. She sat down and pulled out a notebook and pen. She opened the first book, coughing slightly as she disturbed the settled dust, and proceeded to take notes, all the while hoping she was taking enough that would allow her to pass…She began to doze off, and fell asleep with her head resting on her notebook.

* * *

Edward snapped the book shut with a sigh. "Another dead end…Why don't we call it a day, Al?"

Alphonse stood up. "Okay, Brother."

The two brothers headed for the exit. Edward happened to glance over, and noticed that Colonel Mustang's niece had fallen asleep surrounded by open alchemy books. Without really thinking, Edward headed towards her, slipping off his jacket. He carefully draped it over her sleeping form before turning on his heel to return to Alphonse's side, slightly red in the face.

"That was so sweet of you, Brother!" Alphonse told him.

Edward's face flushed a bit more, ignoring Alphonse as he continued for the exit.

"Does this mean you have a crush on her?"

"Drop it."

"Wait, if you like her, then does this mean I get Winry?"

"Just drop it, Al!"

Alphonse laughed as his older brother's face soon matched the color of the coat he had just left behind.

* * *

Ash woke up, blinking. She lifted her head and yawned. She got to her feet, stretching her arms above her head. She heard the slight rustle of fabric, and turned to see a heap of red cloth on the ground. She picked it up to investigate. When she noticed the black insignia on it, her face warmed considerably as blood rushed to her cheeks.

_This is Edward's coat…Oh, my gosh…_

She quickly cleaned up her work area. She looked down at the coat, which she had set down on the table as she put the books away.

_I should give this back to him…But I don't know where he's staying…And I can't leave it here…I guess I have to take it home and just give it back to him tomorrow…

* * *

_

"Hey, Uncle."

"Hey, Ash. You were gone a long time…"

"Yeah. I ended up falling asleep at the library while I was studying. I'll be up in my room if you need me…I'm still a little tired…"

"Ash, what's that?"

Ash froze in her attempt to escape, before trying to hide Edward's jacket behind her back. "It's nothing!"

"That's Fullmetal's coat, isn't it…? What happened?"

"Nothing!"

"There can only be three explanations for you having Fullmetal's jacket! 1) The two of you went on a date behind my back. 2) You killed him and took the coat. Or 3) He gave it to you…but that's not very likely!" By this point, Roy was a bit red in the face.

"Nothing happened!"

When Roy continued to glare at his niece, she sighed in defeat as she flopped down on the couch.

"Like I said, I fell asleep when I was studying at the library. When I woke up, Edward's coat was on me. Happy?"

Roy said nothing as he left the room, snatching the red coat from Ash as he did so. When she heard the front door slam, she sighed again.

"This is not going to end well…"

* * *

"Colonel?" Edward was more than a little surprised when he opened the door of the hotel room he and Alphonse were temporarily staying in.

Roy thrust the red coat into Edward's face before he exploded about how he didn't want Edward to try anything on Ash. "You got that, Fullmetal!" Without waiting for a reply, he stalked off.

Edward was left speechless as Alphonse burst out laughing.

* * *

"Come on, tell us who it is. We all want to know," Falman said.

"Please?" Roy begged.

"No," Jackie said firmly, shaking her head as she crossed her arms.

"Just tell us, and we won't bother you anymore," Breda pointed out.

Jackie shook her head again, resisting the urge to bite off everyone's head. She looked up and noticed that Ash had entered the cafeteria. Jackie shot her a pleading look. Ash noticed this and made her way over to the table everyone was gathered around.

"Hey, Jackie, you're more familiar with Central, aren't you?"

"Mm-hmm," Jackie replied, her voice muffled by her arms.

"Would you mind showing me around?"

Jackie's head snapped up. "Yes! No! I mean, let's go!" She stood up and grabbed Ash's hand, trying to make a hasty escape from the cafeteria. "Thank you," Jackie sighed in relief as they left headquarters.

"Well, you looked like you were about to massacre everyone if they didn't stop pestering you. It's the least I could do."

"But do you really want to go around Central?"

"While we've got some time to kill? Why not?"

The two wandered around the city, Jackie pointing out places she recommended that Ash visit on a later date. As Ash followed her impromptu tour guide around, they bumped into the Elric brothers.

"Oh, hello, you two," Jackie greeted.

"Hi," Ash said, her cheeks turning pink as she looked down at the sidewalk.

"Fancy running into you," Edward said. "Were you returning to headquarters?"

Jackie and Ash nodded.

"Then we should go back together," Edward said, and the four back-tracked toward Central Command.

"So, is everyone still trying to figure out who you like?" Alphonse asked Jackie.

Jackie groaned and nodded. "It's horrible, especially when he's one of the ones bugging me…" Jackie's eyes widened as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Edward exchanged a look with Alphonse. Once they had all returned to headquarters, Jackie was attacked by Roy and his subordinates once again, all of them still trying to find out who her crush was. The Elrics retreated to a corner, and began to furiously scribbling on a piece of paper and whispering to each other.

"Okay, so it has to be the Colonel, Fuery, Falman, Riza, or Breda…I doubt Jackie's a lesbian…Falman's too old…Breda's too fat…She wouldn't actually be stupid enough to like the Colonel…So, it's gotta be Fuery."

Ash watched as Edward and Alphonse went up to Jackie and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror, before she started laughing and shook her head. The two brothers returned to their corner, whispering and scribbling. When they went up to Jackie again, she shook her head a second time. This pattern continued, Jackie's reactions varying. On one account, she almost fell out of her chair. Ash decided to see what was going on.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked.

"Trying to figure out who Jackie likes," Alphonse replied.

"Well, she said it wasn't Fuery, Falman, Breda, or Riza. But that would leave…But she couldn't…Who in their right mind would like the Colonel!"

"Brother, don't you think it's possible that she could?"

Edward shook her head. "Of course not! That means there's only one explanation! Jackie lied when she said she didn't like Fuery!" He walked off, victorious.

Alphonse sighed and followed his older brother. Ash giggled and her expression softened as she watched the black Flamel's serpent design dance away. Jackie came up to Ash with a frustrated sigh.

"This is driving me insane! Did they figure it out?"

"Well, they did narrow it down to my uncle…"

Jackie stiffened.

"But Edward doesn't think that's possible, so he decided you lied about not liking the Master Sergeant."

Jackie relaxed as Ash started laughing again.

"He is such a loveable idiot…" Ash suddenly snapped her mouth shut, realizing she had said too much.

Jackie cocked an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Um, nothing, nothing at all! I, uh, need to get back to the office…" Ash stood up and tried to make a hasty escape, but Jackie followed her and pulled her into a nearby closet full of cleaning supplies.

"Did you just say 'loveable idiot'? Mind explaining what _that's _all about?" Jackie demanded, looking at the younger girl in amusement.

Ash fidgeted a little under Jackie's gaze, before she finally groaned in frustration. "Okay, fine! I admit it! The person I have a crush on is Edward Elric! Yes, I like Fullmetal!" She crossed her arms.

"Aw!" Jackie exclaimed. "That's so cute!"

Ash blushed and looked away.

Jackie laughed. "I won't tell anyone. But are you going to let him know?"

Ash sighed and sat down, her back to the wall. "I don't know…I can't really talk to guys…I'll probably make a fool out of myself…"

Jackie nodded in understanding. After a brief silence, she said, "You should let him know." With that, she left the closet.

Ash sighed and put her head in her knees. _What am I going to do?_

The closet door suddenly swung open, and something crashed into the cleaning supplies. Ash jumped to her feet and went to the door just as the closet grew considerably dimmer. She jiggled the doorknob, but it didn't budge.

"Jackie!" she called, panicking.

"Have fun! I'm going to go get ice cream…"

Ash's eyes widened with realization. _Equivalent exchange…Dammit!_

She heard a groan behind her, and she stiffened, turning. What had Jackie done as payback…? Through the gloom, she could make out the form of Edward sitting up and rubbing his head. Ash quickly turned back to the door, her grip on the doorknob tightening.

"Oh, my…Jackie! I'm going to kill you!" she breathed.

"Hey, Ash, is the door locked?"

Ash stiffened and slowly turned to face Edward. "Uh-huh," she replied weakly.

"Well, I guess we're just gonna have to wait here." He sat down, and Ash heard the faint, distinctive creak of automail within the closed space.

They didn't talk for a while. Ash eventually decided to sit down, opposite from Edward. The silence was killing Ash, before Edward spoke, breaking it.

"So, how'd you get your automail?"

Ash was startled by this question, but she looked down to see that she wasn't wearing her gloves that day, which she usually did. This meant that everyone could see her replacement limb. Her expression grew sad.

"I…I got into an accident about six years ago…Before my parents died…" She clenched her automail fist. _We were so stupid…_

"You, too, huh?"

"Huh?" Ash had completely zoned out, had forgotten she was locked in a closet with Edward. Now, she gave him a quizzical look.

"They don't call me the Fullmetal Alchemist for nothing," he replied, taking off the glove on his right hand and rolling up the left leg of his pants. Both were made of automail.

"What happened?"

"Alchemy accident," he replied as he put his clothing back into place. He avoided her gaze and didn't go into further detail.

The two of them fell into another awkward silence. Edward finally stood up and tried the doorknob, but it didn't budge. With a sigh, he leaned against the door and sat down. His body continued to slip until he was sprawled out on his back, entirely. He shrugged and remained where he was, putting his arms behind his head to act as a pillow.

_Jackie, hurry up! This is going nowhere!_ Ash thought, growing impatient.

"So…which one of your parents was related to the Colonel?" Edward asked curiously.

"…My dad," she replied with a sad smile. "It's no wonder I like my uncle so much…They're a lot alike…"

"How did your parents die…?"

"Um…There was an accident...and they drowned…Ironic, considering my alchemical talents." Her voice had taken on a slightly bitter tone, and she stood up to try to the door again. However, she tripped over something in the dark…And found that she had broken her fall by landing right on top of Edward.

The two stared at each other silently before they spazzed and tried to retreat to opposite corners of the closet. Ash hugged her knees to her chest, hiding her face in them as her cheeks burned. She chanced a peek up at Edward, who looked like he was trying become a part of the wall. She watched him for a bit before she started giggling. He loosened his stance and looked at her, before he also broke out laughing, scratching the back of his head, almost nervously. Silence fell between them again.

"When we were playing Truth or Dare, you said you liked someone, right?"

Ash blushed furiously. "Um, yeah…"

"Have you told him yet?"

Ash was sure her cheeks must be practically glowing in the dark now. "No."

"Well, you should," Edward said as he stood to once again try the door. "I mean, it'd be easier on the both of you if you told him. That way, you don't have to be wondering if he likes you back or not, or…Well, you should tell him." By this point, Edward seemed quite nervous, and desperate to escape the closet. "Dammit…Open already…"

"Um, Edward?"

He suddenly stopped in his attempt to open the door, and sat down, not saying a word.

"Well, um…if you really think I should…tell him…"

"Uh, yeah, you definitely should."

"Okay…Then…" Just as Ash opened her mouth, the closet grew a bit lighter, and the door opened.

Edward made a hasty exit, stretching his arms over his head. "Finally, I can breathe."

Jackie poked her head into the closet. "So, how'd it go?"

"It might've been better if you had left us in there for a few more minutes…"

"He's only a couple feet away. Do you want me to…?"

"No," Ash sighed and stood up. "It's okay. Let's just get back to work."


	5. Military Dogs

Chapter Five: Military Dogs

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or Jackie.**

**A/N: This is based on a role-play, so expect AU and OOC.**

"So, why haven't you told my uncle that you like him?"

Jackie turned red. "He'd…he'd make fun of me if I did…"

"Why?"

"Well, it'd be weird…We've been friends for as long as I can remember…" Jackie suddenly sighed. "I _hate _dogs. Dogs embody disgustiness! Be a jerk to them, and they bite your head off! And they're always begging you for food! Trust me, Ash, they shall be the doom of mankind!" Jackie, whose voice had increased in volume from the passion she put into the words, now took on a sing-songy tone. "Evil canine, how I despise thee!"

Ash blinked in surprise. _What the crap? She sounds a lot like Uncle Roy…_

Jackie sighed again. "You should ask your uncle why he loves dogs so much."

"No, thanks. I've heard his dog speech one too many times."

"I meant the _real _reason he loves dogs so much." She smiled softly. "Then you'll know how we met and became friends." With that, Jackie walked off.

* * *

That evening, Ash sat down on the couch across from Roy's armchair. "Uncle, I was wondering…Why do you love dogs so much?" As she had expected, he broke out into his age-old 'I Love Dogs' speech. "I meant the _real _reason."

Roy stared at her in bewilderment before he chuckled slightly. "Jackie told you about that, huh? I saved her from a pitbull when we were younger…And we've been friends ever since…I guess you could say that because of dogs, I got to meet one of my best friends…"

* * *

"Oh, crap…Ash, have you seen Jackie anywhere?"

"Why?" Ash looked up from the paperwork she had been sorting, spotting that her uncle held some sort of notice.

"Because her renewals have been scheduled for today."

Ash got to her feet. "I'll find her," she promised, and took off. She eventually found Jackie in the cafeteria, happily eating an ice cream cone. "Jackie," she panted. "You better get going…"

"Why?"

"Your renewals…are today…"

"What!" Jackie practically shoved the rest of the cone into her mouth and ran off.

* * *

As a nervous habit, Ash clenched and unclenched her fists. She looked around at the other hopeful alchemists on either side of her. Even though her uncle, Jackie, and even Edward had reassured her about her verification exam, she was still freaking out. There was always the possibility she wouldn't get accepted…But she _needed _to get accepted…

Despite the fact that her nerves were racked, she somehow managed to survive her interview with the higher ups and the written exam. She stood on the field of raw materials that had been set aside for the practical exam, she found herself growing nervous again. She watched the other alchemists as they showed off their skills.

Finally, she stepped forward, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She approached the pond of water there and knelt down, clapping her gloved hands together and touching them to the water's surface. The water stirred underneath her fingers, gathering to together to take on the form of small coi fish. Manipulating the moisture in the air and the pond water, she made the coi dance around in the air before she snapped, disturbing the water molecules and bringing them together in the form of an ice katana. She released the water, creating a miniature rain shower, before she clapped again and evaporated the puddle that had been formed.

* * *

Ash was sorting through paperwork when Roy walked in with a large envelope. She paid no attention to him until he handed the envelope to her.

"What's this?" she asked, confused.

"You passed."

Ash's eyes widened, and she quickly opened the envelope. Inside was a silver State Alchemist's pocketwatch, and a small sheaf of paper. The first sheet was a certificate.

"By order of Führer King Bradley, we present the title of Aquametal Alchemist to Ashlynn Mustang."


	6. Perhaps

Chapter Six: Perhaps…

**Disclaimer: I am not the creator of either 'Fullmetal Alchemist' or Jackie Havoc.**

**A/N: Excuse the AU and OOC, since this is based on a role-play with Bax Embre.**

"Please? We really want to know!"

"No," Jackie said through gritted teeth.

Ash sighed when she entered the office, and noticed that everyone was once again gathered around a rather disgruntled-looking Jackie. She approached her desk and sat down. Jackie gave her yet another pleading look.

"Jackie, Uncle?"

Both Roy and Jackie looked at her.

"Would you mind helping me research some more on elemental alchemy?"

"Sure," Roy said standing.

"Thank you so much," Jackie mouthed to her before she also stood up.

* * *

Ash stood just outside the living room, clutching a thick volume on alchemy that she had been sent to retrieve from the attic. She wanted to see how things would develop between her uncle and Jackie, since they had been left alone.

"So, who is it that you like?" Roy asked.

"Well…"

Ash imagined that Jackie was probably fidgeting, or maybe even blushing.

"He's really good-looking…And he's full of energy…He's got this special sort of flair…And his alchemy is really amazing…"

"It's not Major Armstrong, is it?"

Jackie burst out laughing. "No!"

"Hmm…Kimblee?"

"Heck no!"

"Okay, good, because that'd just be creepy.

The two of them fell silent.

_Come on, Jackie! Tell him already!_ Ash thought.

"Are you going to tell me who it is?"

"Um…I'd rather not…"

Ash shook her head with a mental groan.

Roy sighed. "Alright…Hey, where'd Ash go? She's taking a while…"

"Yeah, she is…"

"I hope she didn't sneak out to see Fullmetal…"

"Crap…" Ash muttered under her breath. "That's my cue…" She reluctantly entered the living room.

"Took you long enough," Jackie said, giving her a murderous look, showing she wasn't too happy with the fact that Ash had left her alone with Roy.

"Sorry. I got distracted by some of the other books up there. You've accumulated a lot of research, Uncle."

"Did you at least find the one you were looking for?" Roy asked.

"Yeah." Ash held up the book in her hand.

"Well, it's getting late. I better head home." Jackie stood up.

"Too bad…We'll see you tomorrow," Roy said in reply.

"Why don't you stay for dinner, Jackie?" Ash asked. "It's the least we could do, right, Uncle?"

Roy looked thoughtful, and looked up at Jackie. "How about it? Will you join us for dinner?"

"Oh, uh…sure."

Not long after, the three of them were sitting at the dining table. Ash picked at her food, watching Roy and Jackie, who were sitting on opposite ends of the table, saying nothing to each other. The silence was suffocating. Ash sighed, then slightly cocked her head to the side. She thought she heard something coming from the kitchen…She pushed her chair back, standing.

"Who needs refills?" she asked, taking hold of her empty glass.

"Me!" Jackie exclaimed, handing Ash her empty glass. "More milk, please!"

Ash nodded and retreated to the kitchen. She set down the two glasses on the counter and looked around. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a gloved hand at the window. She ran over and opened it.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" Ash hissed.

"I…I had to see you." He wobbled a bit, but then he regained his balance by gripping Alphonse's shoulders. "I…need to talk to you."

"Couldn't this have waited until tomorrow?"

"Yes…No…I don't know!" Edward sighed. "Look, I just gotta come out and say it."

Ash's breath caught in her throat. Was he doing what she thought he was doing…?

"Remember what I said back when we were locked in the closet together? About how you should confess to the guy you like?"

Ash nodded slowly.

"I guess I was trying to convince myself to do the same…So, Ash, I—" Edward suddenly toppled over, and a crash sounded off.

"Edward! Are you okay?"

"Yeah," came the faint and winded reply. "Al broke my fall!"

"Brother, get off me!"

"Ash? Are you okay in there?" Roy's voice called from the dining room.

"Shoot…Edward, you better leave!"

"Yeah, we're going! See you tomorrow!"

Ash stood at the window for a few moments. _Did that really just happen?_ She shook her head and closed the window, before getting the drink refills and returning to the dining room.

"What was the hold-up?" Roy asked.

"Oh, I just felt the need to wash the glasses before I got the refills," Ash replied breathlessly.

"Okay…"

Ash noticed that Jackie looked like she didn't buy her story. She turned pink and busied herself with her food.

* * *

Jackie sat down opposite Ash. "So, what really happened last night?"

Ash looked up from her notes. "What do you mean?" she asked, blinking.

"Does it have anything to do with Fullmetal by any chance?"

Ash turned pink and looked down at the open alchemy book in her lap. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know, I wonder what your uncle would say if he found out about the closet…"

Ash's head snapped up. "You wouldn't."

"Oh, but I would. Equivalent Exchange for knocking me out and taking me to my brother."

"Hey, I didn't knock you out. I just took the opportunity."

"Whatever. So?"

Ash sighed. "Fine. He came to see me last night."

"Oh? What did he say?"

"Well, he never really got to finish…But I think he may have been trying to tell me that he likes me…"

"Aw! That's so adorable!"

Ash flushed and buried her face in the alchemy book again.

"I'll be right back. I need to look for a certain book in a different section," Jackie said.

"'Kay," Ash mumbled, turning the page.

After a few moments, Ash felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw Edward standing behind her, his hands in his pockets and his bangs obscuring his face. Her mind went blank.

"Hi," she finally managed to get out.

"Hey," he mumbled back. "So, um…about last night…"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I…uh…What I was trying to say is…um…"

"Yeah?" Ash prompted, holding her breath.

"Um…I…I…" he suddenly looked up at her, his eyes shining intensely. "I really like you, Ash!" He abruptly turned on his heel and all but ran away, bright red, leaving Ash stunned speechless.

Not a moment later, Jackie returned with her nose buried in a book. "So…?"

"He…he likes me…" Ash replied, too surprised to be mad at Jackie for purposely leaving her alone.

"Aw! Did you tell him?"

"No…He ran away before I could say anything…"

"That's disappointing…Oh, well." Jackie sat down with her book.

"And what about you?" Ash demanded. "Why haven't you confessed to my uncle?"

Jackie purposely ignored her. Ash smirked and looked at a spot behind Jackie's head.

"Oh, hey, there, Uncle Roy."

"What!" Jackie spazzed and quickly turned to see that there was nothing there. She glared at Ash, who had burst out laughing.

"So?" Ash finally managed to ask.

"I…I can't tell him…"

"Why not?"

Jackie flushed, fidgeting with the book in her lap. "H-he'd make fun of me if I told him…"

Ash rolled her eyes, then froze. "Hi, Uncle Roy."

Jackie shook her head. "Nope. Not gonna fall for it again."

"Fall for what?"

Jackie squeaked and turned around to see a puzzled-looking Roy standing behind her. Ahs stood up, gathering her things.

"See you later," she said, hurrying off.

"W-wait!" Jackie said, on the verge of freaking out.

Roy sat down next to her. "Fall for what?" he repeated.

"Um, nothing, nothing," Jackie said, looking down and fidgeting with her book again.

"Alright…" Roy cleared his throat. "So…I was wondering…Um…"

"Sorry. I need to get going." Jackie leapt to her feet and ran off.

Roy sighed and hung his head, looking down at the two movie tickets he had just pulled out of his pocket.

* * *

Ash shook her head. The minute her uncle had come home, he had plopped down on the couch, sulking. He hadn't moved since. And Ash was getting irritated.

The phone rang.

"I'll get it," Ash said, rising to her feet, though it wouldn't have mattered anyway. "Hello, Mustang residence."

"Ash? It's Jean Havoc."

Ash blinked. "Hello, Lieutenant. If you need my uncle, you may have to call back later. He's too busy sulking."

"Really? Jackie is, too."

"Hmm…" Ash said. _Guess that didn't work out too well…_

"You need to help me," Havoc begged. "Her emo mode creeps me out."

Ash sighed, and remembered that her uncle had _tried _to ask Jackie to go to the movies with him. "Well…Make sure she's at the movie theater in fifteen minutes."

"Alright," Havoc replied and hung up.

Ash replaced the receiver and went to the living room. "Come on," she said to Roy, hands on hips.

"Huh?"

"We're going to the movies."

"But I don't think you'll like the movie I got tickets for…"

Ash sighed and grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him to his feet. "Just come on."

Roy sighed and followed.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Havoc residence, Jean hung up the phone and went to the living room. He nudged his sister's foot with his. "Come on. Get up."

"Why?" Jackie grumbled.

"Because we're going to the movies."

"I don't want to go."

"You're coming. Now, get up."

Jackie groaned and reluctantly followed her elder brother. In the lobby of the movie house, she sat down on a bench and continued to sulk. Jean craned his neck to see over the other movie-goers. He finally spotted Ash and the colonel at the far end of the room. When she spotted him, she waved and turned to drag her uncle in his direction.

Jean turned to Jackie. "Okay, have fun. I'm outta here." He turned on his heel and left.

"J-Jean!" Jackie called, but her brother had already disappeared. She cursed and sat down on the bench, crossing her arms. No money, no ticket, and her brother had abandoned her. She glared at the floor. Someone tapped her shoulder. Jackie looked up, her heart leaping into her throat.

"Hi," Roy said.

"H-hi," Jackie mumbled.

"Um…I already bought tickets for a show…But I don't have anyone else to use the second one…"

Jackie's heart fluttered like a caged bird.

"So…would you like to join me for this movie?"

"Sure," Jackie replied, keeping her voice steady despite the fact she was elated.

* * *

Ash smiled to herself as she made her way home. It had worked. She and Havoc had gotten Roy and Jackie on a date. Maybe now the two would actually get somewhere. Suddenly, she ran into someone.

"I'm so sorry!" she apologized, looking up. "Nngh…"

"Hey, Ash. This is a surprise." Edward looked down at her.

Heat crept up into her cheeks. _Now if I could do the same thing for us…_

There was a low rumble of thunder in the distance, and both alchemists looked up at the sky. Edward looked back down at Ash and shrugged off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders.

"Your automail'll get rusted if you're not careful."

Ash looked down and realized that she had only been wearing a tube top in addition to her pants and boots. She blushed slightly, pleased that Edward was worrying about her.

"So…are you doing anything right now?" he asked.

"I was on my way home…but I don't need to be there right now…"

A slight smile crept into Edward's features. "Then would you like to kill some time with me?"

Ash nodded, internally jumping with joy.

* * *

"Thanks for the movie," Jackie said as she and Roy left the theater.

"You're welcome."

The two stood out in the rain, silent as they faced each other.

"Do you have a ride?" Roy asked.

"I'll just walk home. I don't mind."

She turned to go, but Roy stopped her by pulling her into a hug. Her eyes widened, but then they closed. Maybe she didn't need to say anything…

"See you tomorrow?"

Jackie nodded. "Yeah."

The two pulled apart, smiled at each other, and went their separate ways. Jackie was all but dancing in the street, pleased with the evening's events. As she lifted her face to the sky, she didn't notice the truck that was on a veering course towards her.

* * *

"What was that?" Ash asked when there was the sound of screeching tires and of metal colliding against a hard surface.

Edward shrugged and the two hurried over to the next street. Ash clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her horrified gasp. Her uncle looked devastated as he ran over to the wreckage of the car crash. A piece of tiger-printed cloth lay in a puddle, and an automail arm could be seen sticking out from under the truck.


	7. Confessions

Chapter Seven: Confessions

**Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or Jackie Havoc.**

**Author's Note: This will contain some AU and OOC since this is based on a role-play with Bax Embre.**

Roy did not take his head of his hands. Although he was not religious, he prayed that Jackie would be alright. When she had been brought to the hospital, the doctors had been amazed. Aside from being knocked unconscious and having a few broken ribs, her automail had taken the severity of the damage. However, they were unsure if and when she would come to.

One of the nurses attending to Jackie entered the room. "Sir, visiting hours are done for the night."

"I'm not leaving," Roy mumbled.

"I'm sorry, sir, but visiting hours are over."

"I'm not leaving."

"Sir, I must insist that you—"

Almost like a madman, Roy leapt to his feet, pulling out his silver pocketwatch and all but shoved it into the nurse's face. "I'm not leaving."

"…Very well, sir…" She left the room, clearly shaken.

Roy sank back into her chair at Jackie's side. He stared at her face. _Please be okay._

* * *

Jean found it a bit difficult to restrain himself from attacking the colonel when he entered Jackie's hospital room the next morning. Roy's head rested on the mattress, and his hand was closed around Jackie's, her right arm her only remaining limb.

"Good morning, Colonel," Jean said, forcing himself to sound cheerful.

Roy started and looked around wildly. He looked at Jackie and sighed in relief. He then looked over at Jean. "Morning, Lieutenant."

"How is she?"

"I don't know…They stabilized her, but…"

Jean couldn't help but feel sorry for the colonel. He was usually calm and collected, but now he looked as if he had lost sleep from worrying so much. It almost compensated for the fact that Roy Mustang was dating his little sister. Almost.

* * *

Roy helped Jackie ease into a wheelchair. She winced slightly, but made no further indication of discomfort. Roy pushed the wheelchair out of the room and went to the front desk. He signed Jackie out, and then proceeded to take her to the train station. Now that she had been released from the hospital, she needed to get new automail outfitted.

At the train station, Roy made his way towards the platform of the train bound for Resembool.

"Uncle!" Ash waved to them from where she stood next to Edward and Alphonse.

Roy frowned. _Great…Fullmetal's coming…._Nevertheless, he made his way over to Ash and the Elrics.

"Hi!" Jackie said cheerfully. If she had been able to, she probably would have been waving enthusiastically.

"How are you feeling?" Ash asked her.

"Great! Other than the missing automail, I'm perfectly fine!" She definitely looked like it.

* * *

"Jackie, what did you do!" Winry cried in despair.

"I kinda got run over…" Jackie replied nervously.

"Jackie!"

"Hey, you think I like not being able to walk or use my hands?"

"It's not that bad, Jackie…" Roy attempted to reassure her, gently rocking the wheelchair back and forth.

"Stop that!" Jackie growled.

"Stop what?" Roy grinned and rocked her a little faster.

"Stop moving the wheelchair! I can't hold on, remember!"

Roy stopped. "Okay, sorry."

"So, how long would it take to get my replacements?" Jackie asked Winry after she had shot a glare at Roy.

"Need a rush order?" Winry asked, frowning.

"I think I can afford to wait a little bit…"

"…Two weeks, then. Expect a large bill." Winry grinned and left the room.

Jackie groaned and leaned back against the wheelchair. "I hate this…"

"It's not too bad…So, um…" Roy cleared his throat before continuing. "You don't remember what happened the night of the accident, do you?"

"No," Jackie replied with a faint blush. "Why do you ask?"

"Just…wondering." Roy retreated to the window, glancing out at the countryside, a sad expression crossing his face. His gaze drifted to the lawn before the house, and his eyes narrowed.

Ash was sitting there, looking around. Edward was lingering behind her, and then he went to sit by her side. They talked for a bit, and then they seemed to reach an awkward silence. Edward glanced at his niece, then awkwardly put his arm around her shoulders.

Roy growled under his breath. "Fullmetal…"

"What?" Jackie asked, craning her neck to see out the window.

Ash leapt to her feet and ran out of sight, leaving Edward behind. The young blonde's shoulders slumped, and Roy smirked. However, that didn't change the fact that the runt had tried to come onto his niece.

"What's wrong?" Jackie asked again.

"I think Fullmetal likes Ash…"

"Is that really so bad?"

Roy opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He tried again. "Well…no, not really, but…"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Roy…"

* * *

Jackie slowly made her way outside, her steps halting and unsure. It would take a while to become accustomed to her new automail, since it had been fashioned from scratch. She flopped down in the grass, looking up at the stars, her mind drifting to thoughts of Lily…Jackie rolled over so that she was laying on her stomach, resting her chin on crossed arms, a sorrowful sigh escaping her lips.

"Can I join you?"

She looked up to see Roy standing in front of her.

"Sure…"

Roy sat next to her. "What are you thinking about?"

Jackie sighed sadly again. "Lily…"

"Oh…"

Silence fell between them. Jackie tore a few blades of grass out of the ground, trying to avoid looking at Roy, but also trying to think of something to say to him.

"Jackie…Are you sure you don't remember the night of the accident…?"

She shook her head.

Roy took a deep breath. "Will this help jog you memory?" With those words, Roy kissed Jackie's cheek.

She blushed furiously as Roy pulled back. "R-Roy…"

"Be honest, Jackie. Do you love me?"

She nodded after a brief hesitation. "B-but…What about you…?"

"Jackie, I've liked you since the day we met. Do you remember?"

Jackie nodded again. "Of course I do…I've liked you since then, too…"

"Glad to hear it," Roy whispered, leaning down to brush his lips to hers. Jackie made a mildly surprised sound in her throat, but then she closed her eyes and lost herself to the kiss. Finally…

* * *

"Ash?" Jackie's voice sounded sing-songy, teasing.

The young Mustang looked up from her book. "What?"

"Look out your window!"

"Why…?"

"Just look out your window!"

Ash sighed, dog-earring her page and setting the book down on the nightstand. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, getting to her feet and peering out the window. Directly beneath her, she could see that Edward was using the sort of makeshift, outdoor shower at the side of the Rockbell house. He ran his hand through his wet, unbraided hair, turning his face slightly upward, directly into the stream of water. The blood rushed to her cheeks, and she actually fell backwards, landing on the floor of her room.

She heard Jackie's laugh and running footsteps. Ash got to her feet and ran to the door, yanking it open. A door slammed shut further down the hallway. Ash pounded on Jackie's door.

"I'm going to murder you!"

Jackie laughed again, both at Ash's reaction, and at the fact that the younger girl could not fill out her threat. "Admit it—you're not _that_ mad at me…"

The blood rushed to Ash's cheeks yet again as she fell silent. Jackie was right…

"Why don't you go talk to him…?"

Ash glared at the door, but sighed, slightly wringing her hands together. She made her way to the stairs, resting a hesitant hand on the banister. She bit her lip and made her way downstairs before heading outside. She stood at the corner of the house, slightly hidden by a pile of firewood, and watched the blonde boy, unsure of how to approach or of what to say.

Edward reached over, twisting the water valve to shut off the shower of water. He grabbed a towel that had been resting on a nearby tree stump and began to towel his hair dry, his golden eyes closed. He sighed, draping the towel over his arm, and turned, finally noticing Ash. Both young alchemists became red in the face.

"A-Ash…How long were you standing there…?"

"Not long…"

An awkward silence fell between them. Ash nervously brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, biting her lip.

"Um…Ed…?"

"Hmm…?"

Ash swallowed. "So…um…you know how I mentioned there was someone I liked…?"

Edward nodded and looked down, avoiding her gaze.

"Well…It's you! I like you, Edward!"

"Wha—?"

However, Ash was already long gone, barricading herself in her room, trying to still her pounding heart.

* * *

Ash closed her bedroom door behind her, raising her arms above her head in a stretch. A metal hand grasped her flesh one, and she quickly turned her head to look into Edward's face. She smiled shyly and, after a hesitation, he returned it. The two made their way downstairs, holding hands. The others were already in the dining room, and silence greeted them when they entered. Upon noticing that Roy was the only one that seemed displeased, Ash quickly let go of Edward's hand.

But as everyone sat down to the meal, happy chatter filling the room, the two joined hands again under the table.

Alphonse looked between the two, both apparently unaware of the fact that they had to reach around him to join hands. "Get a room," the armored boy muttered.


	8. Together

Chapter Eight: Together

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist' or Jackie.**

**Author's Note: This is based off a role-play between myself and Bax Embre, so please excuse the AU and OOC.**

"If you ask me who it is one more time, I'll bite your friggin' head off," Jackie growled just as Breda opened his mouth. She left the cafeteria before anyone else could begin to bother her about her crush.

"I know who it is," Roy said smugly as he sat down with his tray of food.

"Really, Colonel?"

Roy nodded.

"So, who is it?" Fuery queried.

"It's me."

There was silence before his subordinates burst out laughing.

"Be serious, sir," Falman chided good-naturedly.

"No, it's true."

The others exchanged amused looks. It was common knowledge that the colonel was a ladies' man, so it would be typical of him to claim to be the object of Jackie's affections. Roy frowned, knowing that they didn't believe him. At that moment, Jackie bounded back into the cafeteria, ran over to give Roy a hug, and left once again. Roy smiled slightly and looked over at his dumbfounded subordinates.

"Believe me now?" he asked smugly.

* * *

"Can't keep your women in one place, Colonel?" Breda teased the next day as Roy tried to locate Jackie.

Roy frowned and continued his search, calling out her name as he wandered aimlessly around headquarters.

"Did you try the roof yet?" Ash had asked him as she passed by with a stack of paperwork in her arms.

Roy went up to the roof of the main building, and saw that Jackie was looking up at the clouds.

"That one looks like a chimera…And that one looks like a rabbit…That one looks like Mustang…Oh, hi, Roy!" Jackie abruptly sat up, her cheeks flushing.

"Jackie…" Roy swallowed. "Are you embarrassed about going out with me or something…? Ever since we got back from Resembool, you've practically been avoiding me…"

"No, I'm not embarrassed…Just…nervous, I guess…Uncertain…"

"Don't you love me?"

Jackie nodded. "I'm just not used to being in a relationship, what with the being gone for twenty years…"

Roy smiled. "Don't worry. We'll take it nice and slow." He held out a hand to her.

She returned the smile and accepted his hand as he helped her to her feet. Together, the two left the roof, returning to work.

* * *

Edward planted his hands on Ash's desk, smiling at her when she looked up from a report.

"Morning, Ed."

"Hey. So, there's gonna be a fireworks show tonight…Wanna go with me?"

Just as Ash opened her mouth to reply, Roy spoke as he looked up from the document in his hands.

"Fullmetal, you should ask _me _for permission to take her on a date first. But since Jackie and I are going anyway, we can act as chaperones; you're off the hook this time."

Edward rolled his eyes, but otherwise said nothing and smiled at Ash once again. She returned it as her cheeks turned pink.

* * *

The two couples climbed to the top of a hill, laughing and talking as they went. At their destination, Jackie spread out a large picnic blanket, smoothing out the bumps with her hand. Ash set down the wicker basket she carried, before lowering herself onto the blanket, tucking her legs underneath her. Edward plopped down beside her, reaching over to hold her hand. Jackie sat down next to Roy, and he draped an arm over her shoulders.

Ash gently shrugged away from Edward and started to pull food out of the basket, distributing her cooking among the people on the blanket.

As they ate, the sky steadily darkened, fading from blue to purple to black. The stars slowly appeared in the night sky, one at a time, twinkling in the velvety darkness. There seemed to be a sort of excited tension in the air, as if the entire world was holding its breath, waiting for the fireworks to begin.

There was a distant explosion, and a shower of red light appeared in the sky, quickly fading away. There was a second explosion and a few green wheels became prominent in the darkness. Then the sky erupted with sound and colors, giving beauty to chemistry as the four people upon the hilltop watched the sky.


	9. Beasts Beneath Resembool

Chapter Nine: Beasts Beneath Resembool

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', and Bax Embre is the owner of Jackie and Lily.**

**Author's Note: This is a transcribed version of a role-play between Bax Embre and myself, so please excuse the AU and OOC.**

"What's this?" Roy asked with a bored tone as Ash handed him an envelope.

"Some sort of report…Not sure why it came to you, though," his niece replied before returning to her desk.

With a sigh, the Flame Alchemist opened the envelope, reaching inside to pull out the sheaf of papers. He was disinterested as he skimmed through the pages, but one word kept glaring up at him, forcing him to go back and thoroughly read the report. He sighed and set the papers down on his desk.

"I hope Jackie doesn't know about this…"

"About what?"

Roy looked up to see Jackie standing in front of his desk, a puzzled expression crossing her face. He mentally cursed.

"It's nothing, Jackie. Honestly."

"Yeah, right." With those words, she reached over and, before Roy could stop her, plucked the report from his desk. Ignoring Roy's protests, Jackie began to read. The further she read, the paler she appeared to get. Before she even got to the last page, she threw down the report and ran out of the office.

Roy cursed. "I knew it…! She's going to Resembool…"

"Should I go after her?" Ash asked, already pushing back her chair and rising to her feet.

"No! Stay put! We'll go after her together, but I have to…" Roy swallowed nervously before continuing. "I have to talk to Jean…" He left the office.

Rolling her eyes, Ash grabbed her coat and ran out into the hallway, slipping her arms into the sleeves as she went. On her way down the stairs, she passed by Edward.

"Hey, A…Where are you going?"

"Following Jackie," she called over her shoulder, not even stopping to give a proper explanation. As she made her way to the train station, she glanced over her shoulder. "Ed, you don't have to come…"

"Too bad."

Ash smiled slightly before quickening her pace. "We have to hurry!"

* * *

Roy swallowed before knocking on the door to Jean's office. He waited for the go-ahead and entered. The lieutenant looked up.

"Hey. What brings you here, Colonel?"

Roy took a deep breath. "Jackie…She went off to Resembool to look for Lily…"

* * *

"Why the heck is this train so _slow_!" Jackie growled under her breath. She didn't even bother to sit down, instead standing nearing the exit, impatiently shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

When the buildings of Resembool finally came into view, Jackie didn't wait for the train to come to a complete stop before she jumped off and ran in the direction of the woods.

* * *

Ash got off the train, looking around for any sign of Jackie. Edward stood beside her as she frowned in confusion.

"I don't get it…She couldn't have disappeared _that_ quickly…"

* * *

"And you didn't even try to stop her!" Jean demanded.

"You know as well as I that Jackie is very stubborn!" Roy defended, throwing his hands up.

Jean took a deep breath to try and calm himself. "At least we know that she went to Resembool…Call the station and find out when the next train is."

"Why me!"

"Because it's your fault she went in the first place!"

* * *

Jackie came to the edge of the forest, only slightly winded from her run. She took a few cautious steps forward before she froze, making a face.

"Come on out," she called to the trees. "I know you're there."

There was a pause, before a chimera leapt out at her, baring its claws as it came closer. Jackie clapped her hands together and touched them to her automail arms. A flash of alchemic light filled the air as the top layer of metal on both arms lengthened into blades. In one swift motion, she sliced through the chimera, and it fell to the ground, dead. After casting a glance at it, Jackie ventured deeper into the trees.

* * *

Ash sighed. "Damn…We lost her…"

"Did she say _anything_ about her past…? Anything that could be a clue about where she might have gone…?"

Ash thought about Edward's question. "Well…No, she doesn't talk about the past much…But…I think she mentioned something about the woods…"

"Well, it's all we got. It's a good a place as any to start looking."

* * *

"But this is an emergency! We need a train to Resembool right now!"

There was a pause, before Roy started yelling again. Jean sighed in frustration, tapping his cigarette against the edge of an ashtray as he watched his superior. Roy slammed the phone down onto the receiver with a relieved expression.

"I managed to convince them to make an extra stop!" he said, his tone urgent.

* * *

Jackie knew that she was in the heart of the forest, sensing the sickening familiarity of the place. "The entrance is around here somewhere…"

There was a rumbling growl opposite Jackie, and she sighed, looking up to see a second chimera approaching her. She held her arms out in front of her as the chimera approached, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"Jeez…They got bored…"

The approaching chimera had the body of a cougar, the beak of an ostrich, the coloring and slimy appearance of an eel, and the tail of a rattlesnake. It lowered upon its haunches, its tail flicking back and forth with soft rattling sounds. It suddenly let out something between a squawk and a roar before it pounced.

Jackie quickly killed the chimera and proceeded to look for the entrance. She parted a few bushes and slipped down a hole that had been hidden behind them. She found herself in a long hallway and started down it.

* * *

Ash bent over, resting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She and Edward had arrived at the edge of the forest, but they were both winded. Ash finally straightened up and took a few steps forward, before bringing a hand to her nose and drawing back.

"Ugh…! What is that stench…?"

Edward went forward, protecting his nose with the back of a hand. "It's a chimera…and it's dead…"

"That must mean Jackie went through here…"

The two young alchemists continued through the forest. At its heart, they found yet another dead chimera, this one larger than the last. They examined the area.

"Do you think she went further in?" Edward called.

"I'm not su—agh!"

Edward spun around to see that Ash was nowhere in sight. "Ash?" He took a few steps forward. "Ash? Where'd you g—whoa!" Edward felt himself falling before he landed on something. "Ow…Where the hell…?" Looking around, he found that he had ended up in some sort of stone cavern.

"Ed…" came a weak voice underneath him. "Can you get off me, please…?"

Edward jumped up. "I'm really sorry, Ash…" He helped her to her feet.

"Where are we?"

Edward shrugged. "Who knows? But I think our best bet is to follow this hallway…See where it leads…"

* * *

As the train pulled out of Resembool Station, Roy stood on the platform with his team. "Alright, let's go. Head for the forest." He grasped a hold of his gloves with his teeth, pulling them off. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a second pair of gloves, red transmutation circles stitched into each one. A hard expression crossed his face as he pulled them on.

* * *

Jackie came to a stop before large, stone double doors. She looked up at them, a sort of bitter expression on her face. "I never thought I'd end up back here again…" she said to herself and stepped closer. She touched her hands to the stone, using a very specific shadow alchemy formula to open the doors.

She stepped into the all-too-familiar, cage-filled cavern, the doors closing behind her with a heavy thud. Sensing that the chimeras in the cages had their eyes on her, Jackie followed the path her memories laid out for her, retracing the way to the prison cells.

* * *

"Well…They definitely went through here…" Breda said, peering at the second dead chimera they had come across.

"The question is, where did they go afterwards?" Falman looked around the clearing. "What do you think, Colonel?"

There was no reply.

"Colonel?" Fuery asked, almost fearfully.

"He was standing over there…" Jean said, pointing to a few bushes.

Riza held up her gun and carefully approached the place Havoc was pointing at. "Colonel…?" She stepped through, and disappeared from view.

"Lieutenant!" The others ran over, and fell.

"Ow…Hey, is everyone all right…?" Fuery asked, adjusting his glasses.

Pained murmurs and groans came from the others beneath him. A muffled voice came from the very bottom of their accidental dogpile.

"Everyone has five seconds to get off me before I torch you all!"

Roy's subordinates were quick to oblige. The colonel stood and brushed himself off, looking forward into the gloom. "Come on."

* * *

"Lily?" Jackie called softly into a cell, peeking in through the bars. It was empty. "Darn…" She looked into the next one, and continued down the hall until, finally, she came to the right one. In the corner of the cell was a young woman with snow-white hair and a white tiger-print coat. "Lily!"

Two gem-bright eyes that were the mirror image of Jackie's looked up at her, widening in surprise. "Jackie…?"

"I'm going to get you out of here!" Clapping her hands together, she touched them to the lock, breaking it open. She pulled the door open and ran into the cell, throwing her arms around her twin. "I'm so glad you're still alive."

"Same here…" Lily jumped to her feet. "But we need to go!"

As the two left the cell, a particularly tall chimera turned the corner and spotted them. It blinked a few times, almost stupidly, before it opened its mouth and made noises that were not unlike an alarm.

"Let's get out of here!" They took off running.

* * *

Ash's foot made contact with the stone doors, and she started hopping in place, exclaiming in pain. "Why isn't it opening, dammit?" She glared at the door, trying to figure out how to open it.

"Ashlynn Mustang!"

With a squeak, she turned to see her uncle and his subordinates coming toward them. Her uncle looked severely pissed off.

"You and I need to have a serious talk, young lady!"

With a nervous laugh, Ash gestured to the doors behind her. "Let's get this open first." Although it was a statement, her voice rose up at the end, making it sound like a question.

After an angry pause, Roy spoke. "Fine. Door first, lecture later."

"Actually, door first, the save Jackie. Lecture back at Central."

Roy glared at his niece before looking up at the door. He lifted a hand, fingers poised to snap, when both Edward and Ash explained that they had already tried to use alchemy. So, they all tried to toss around ideas about how to get the door open.

"Wait, that door is made of stone, right?" Breda questioned. "So, we should try to play rock-paper-scissors with it!" Getting to his feet, he went to the doors. "Rock-paper-scissors, I choose paper!" With those words, he drew a piece of paper from his pocket and slammed it against the double doors.

The others planted their faces in their palms.

Suddenly, the doors emitted sparks before they burst open. They could see two girls making their way towards them, eight chimeras in pursuit.

"Coming through!" The two shouted in unison, bursting through the doors before they slammed shut again.

Jean blinked in surprise, his cigarette threatening to fall out of his mouth. "Lily…?"

The white-haired one of the two sat up, lifting her head, face lighting up with joy. "Jean?" She then threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Do I get a hug, too?" Jackie asked in a way that made her sound hopeful.

"No. _You're _in trouble," Jean said, glaring at her.

"But you're not going to yell at me, are you?" Her eyes were pleading, her lower lip protruding slightly, as if she were pouting.

Jean shook his head. "Not going to work, Jackie."

"I wasn't trying it on you, Jean," she practically snapped, looking directly at Roy.

There was a long pause before Roy spoke. "Fine. My lecture's for _this _one, anyway." He cast a sideways glance at his niece.

Ash let out another squeak as Roy rounded on her.

"Why the hell did you think it would be okay to disobey orders and run off like that, especially with the Fullmetal Shrimp!"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLIN' A PIPSQUEAK MIDGET WHO CAN'T EVEN GO TO THE BEACH BECAUSE HE'S SO SMALL HE'LL SINK INTO THE SAND AND WHEN THE TIDE COMES IN HE DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY BECAUSE HE CAN BREATHE OXYGEN OUT OF A MOLECULE OF WATER!"

"Um, guys…You realize that there are still eight chimeras trying to break down the door…" Jackie said. As if to prove her point, a resounding boom came from the other side of the doors.

They all ran back the way they had come. Once back on the surface, they used alchemy to seal up the hole they had fallen through, and slowly set off for the station.


	10. The Return

Chapter Ten: The Return

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', or Jackie or Lily.**

**Author's Note: Since this is based off of a role-play, please excuse the AU and OOC.**

Once they had arrived in Central, Ash, Edward, and Jackie all got to experience the joy of getting their ears chewed out by Roy and Jean, reprimanded for their recklessness. Even after that, everyone that had returned from the underground lab in Resembool had to fill out forms and paperwork regarding what they had seen and done.

But finally, things started to settle down. The weekend after their return from the lab, Edward and Ash went out shopping together. After having been forced to kiss Riza at the colonel's party, Jean had worked up the courage to ask her out to lunch. Roy and Jackie went to the zoo, where the tigers seemed to have a strong attraction to Jackie's presence.

Lily, hoping to spend some time with her Jackie and Jean after being separated from them, instead found herself stuck dogsitting Black Hyate. "Guess it's just you and me, Hyate…" she told the black-and-white dog gloomily.

* * *

Lily sighed sadly, causing her twin to elbow her in the side. She jumped and glared at Jackie.

"What's wrong…?"

Lily sighed again, pouting. "I don't have a boyfriend…"

"There's plenty of guys in the military that you can date…"

The white-haired twin scoffed. "Yeah, right. If you can find a sweet, sensitive guy in the military that isn't all bleh or blargh or mleh, be my guest," she said, making a facial expression with each noise she made to accent her words. She then left the room.

At lunch, Jackie went up to Roy. "Hi!" she said cheerfully.

"Hello," he replied.

She set her tray down on the table, sitting opposite him. "So, Roy…Do you know a sweet, sensitive guy in the military that isn't all bleh or blargh or mleh?" she asked, repeating her sister exactly.

"Why? You're not breaking up with me, are you?"

"No, no! I'm asking for Lily!" Jackie said, frantically waving her hands.

Roy seemed to sigh in relief. "Well, if that's the case…I do know someone that fits that description…He's right over—"

There was the sound of dishware clattering upon the stone floor, and the two looked in the direction of the food counter. Lily and Master Sergeant Fuery were bowing to each other repeatedly in apology, both of their food trays forgotten on the ground.

"Guess I don't have to introduce them…" Roy murmured as Jackie followed their movements, her head bobbing up and down. "Keep that up and you'll break your neck…"

"No, I won't," Jackie insisted, before she made a sound of pain.

Roy exclaimed in surprise. "Jackie, are you alright?"

She waved him away. "I'm fine. It's just a crick. If I actually _had _broken my neck, I wouldn't be alive now."

"Oh…" Roy gave a short, nervous laugh. "Right…"

* * *

"Why the hell didn't you tell me that you and Lily had been turned into chimeras!" Roy demanded. "And what's more, you let all of higher command know during your renewals! What if they put you two in a laboratory?"

Jackie's brow twitched, and she slammed her hands down on her desk as she angrily stood up. "Well, _sooorrry_ that I didn't want to tell you! I didn't want you to think that I was some…_thing _instead of the person you used to know!"

"You seriously thought that? How could you think that, Jackie! I never would have thought any less of you if you had just told me!" Roy sighed. "I want to be honest with me, Jackie. You can tell me the truth."

Jackie sat down again. "I'm sorry…I'll try to be more honest with you from now on…"

Roy gave a slight smile. "Good."

* * *

After the annual renewals, Lily and Jackie attained the rank of colonel, and Roy insisted on throwing them a congratulations party after the formal ceremony.

"Breda! What did you br—Get that out of here before Jackie sees it!" Lily said, practically shoving the lieutenant out of the living room. "Keep that away from her!"

"Why?"

"Just don't give her _anything _with alcohol," Lily told him before she went to the kitchen. "I'll be right back," she called over her shoulder.

"Hey, Breda. What do you have there…?" Jackie asked as she approached.

"Um…It's some sake…"

Jackie's eyes lit up with happiness. "Sweet!" She grabbed a bottle from the case in Breda's hands.

"Jackie, your sister said you're not allowed to have any…"

"She's such a killjoy…" she pouted. "I haven't even had alcohol before…"

Roy came up then. "Congratulations, Jackie…Why the long face…?"

"Lily said I'm not allowed to have any sake…"

"Well, if Lily says you're not allowed to, then maybe you shouldn't…"

"You're no fun…"

"Jackie, don't be like that…"

"Just one sip? Please?"

"No."

"What harm could it do?"

Roy hesitated. "Well…"

"Is that a yes?"

"I suppose…"

"Yay!" With that, Jackie practically downed the bottle in her hand.

"Slow down, Jackie! That's strong stuff…" Roy warned.

With a satisfied sigh, Jackie removed the bottle from her lips. "I don't know why Lily was making such a big deal about this…" Her head was leaning forward, her bangs hiding her eyes. Suddenly, a manic laugh came from her, soft and dangerous. "You know something…?" The Tigershadow Alchemist asked, her voice dangerously low, before her head snapped up, her face distorted into that of a crazed killer. "You're all getting on my nerves."

"Jackie…?" Roy asked warily.

She clapped her hands together, touching them to her arms, both limbs lengthening into blades. "Time to die…" she said in a sing-songy voice, lashing out at Roy.

He jumped out of the way. "Jackie, what are you doing!" His eyes widened as he remembered the time when they were kinds and Jackie had accidentally found her way into her father's liquor cabinet…"Everyone hide!" he commanded.

After one glance at the now-crazed Jackie, the others were quick to obey, taking cover behind the furniture around the room. Edward, however, stepped forward to challenge her.

"Be careful!" Ash called to him.

"I know!" He lifted his right arm in a defensive matter as Jackie swung at him, and his sleeve tore a bit to reveal his automail. He clapped his hands together and formed his arm into a blade.

Jackie grinned in a crazed manner. "Shiny automail…Let's see how long it'll last…" She attacked him relentlessly, the younger alchemist just barely evading her attacks.

_Not good…She's too fast…_Edward thought before crying out in pain as she caught him on the shoulder.

Just as Jackie was about to deal the finishing blow, Alphonse jumped in front of his brother to protect him, throwing a few punches to force Jackie back.

"Alphonse!" Roy called. "Whatever you do, don't make her bleed!"

"Why not?" Even as the younger Elric spoke, he threw another punch that caught Jackie in the cheek, sending her across the room even though she managed to stay on her feet.

She brought a hand to her cheek, pulling it away to reveal that glistening, red liquid was on her fingertips. A demented smile crossed her face. "Pretty red blood…Let's paint the walls…"

Lily entered the room. "Okay, I'm ba…WHO THE HECK GAVE HER SAKE!"

"We'll explain later! Just stop her!" Jean called out desperately.

"I'm working on it!" Lily growled, clapping her hands together and touching them to the part of the wall that was not covered with shadows, the light writhing at her touch and forming chains that launched themselves at Jackie, wrapping around to restrain her.

"Let me go!"

Lily came up behind her sister, bringing her hand down on Jackie's head.

"Edward! Are you okay?" Ash demanded, jumping from her hiding spot as soon as it was safe.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah! Besides, I have to, uh, clean the mess I made!" Edward went around the room, using alchemy to fix the furniture that had taken damage during his fight with Jackie. All the while, he tried to keep himself from falling over. The wound on his shoulder was surprisingly deep, and he was losing blood fast. He could tell that Ash was watching him closely, but he didn't want to admit that he was hurt. In an attempt to avoid his girlfriend, he went up to his brother, striking up a conversation about cats. As he spoke, he became dizzier and eventually had to excuse himself, retreating to one of the bathrooms on the upper floor.

Ash scanned the living room and, after determining that Edward was not there, went in search of him.

"Shit…Aw, man…Ash is gonna kill me…"

Opening the bathroom door, she saw that Edward was trying to bandage his shoulder. Even though he had taken off both his jacket and his shirt in order to see the wound, she was too angry to blush about the amount of skin he was showing.

"Yes, I am."

"Ash!"

She practically yanked the gauze out of his hands, roughly but expertly wrapping it around his shoulder. "Don't even try to pretend that you're not injured…My mom was a doctor, so I'll be able to tell." She finished with a small knot. "That should hold for now, but I think you need stiches...Come on."

Edward pulled on his clothes and followed Ash, the two heading downstairs. At the front door, Roy stopped them.

"Where are you going?"

Ash sighed, almost exasperatedly. "I'm taking him to the hospital for stiches."

"Oh?"

"Just let us go already, Colonel! Ow!" Edward grabbed at his shoulder.

"Idiot! Don't push yourself!"

* * *

Ash stood in the corner of the room as the doctor and the nurse assisting him finished stiching Edward's wound closed. They then proceeded to give him a blood transfusion. As they worked, the young blonde stared up at the ceiling, the sedatives they had used causing him to act a bit…loopy.

"There's a crack in the ceiling…Hi, crack in the ceiling…If I look at it this way, it looks like a bunny…And if I look at it this way, it looks like a scribble…Why does it look like a scribble…?" He then watched the doctor. "I wonder whose blood they're pumping into me…That'd be creepy if it's Kimblee's…But if it Ash's, that would mean that she's inside me…" He smiled before frowning. "Wait…That's weird…Get out…!" He gave a weak tug of his arm.

Ash blushed faintly as the nurse asked if it would be safe to give Edward another sedative to let him sleep through the remainder of the procedure.

* * *

"Jackie!" Ash pounded on the front door of the havoc household. "Jackie, open up!"

The door opened to reveal Lily. "Ash, this really isn't the best time to being yelling at Jackie…"

"I don't care!" The younger girl said, practically shoving past the white-haired woman and storming up the stairs. She stopped outside of Jackie's room. "Jackie! Get your butt out here!"

"Turn off the sun…"

Ash had half a mind to barge into the older woman's room and yell at her, hit her even, for injuring Edward. On the other hand, Ash was still Jackie's friend, and she felt that Jackie should be able to get over her hangover. Either way, Ash would see Jackie at work the next day…She turned on her heel, passing by Lily on her way out.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow."

* * *

"Jackie!"

The Tigershadow Alchemist turned, surprised to hear that Ash's voice was full of murderous intent. The younger woman was coming toward Lily and her, the Mustang's expression the tone of her voice. Letting out an irrational squeak of fear, Jackie hid behind her white-haired twin.

"How could you do that! Sure, you were intoxicated, but did you really have to do that much damage!"

"Wh-what are you talking about…?"

"You put Ed in the hospital!"

"What?" Jackie's eyes widened in fearful shock.

"Yes! He had to get stiches and blood transfusions! What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I don't remember anything…" Jackie murmured.

Ash opened her mouth to say something else, but noticed Jackie's expression. She clamped her mouth shut as she realized that her friend was genuinely clueless.

"Is he okay?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah," Ash sighed. "He's okay…"

At that point, Edward turned a corner a little further down the hallway. When he spotted Jackie, his face paled, and he hastily went back the way he had come.

"Ed!" Jackie ran after him, and when Ash and Lily followed, they found that she was practically squeezing him to death. "I'm soooo sooorrryyy!"

"Jackie…Can't…breathe…"

She hastily let go and apologized some more. Ash sighed, both amused and exasperated. _Same old Jackie…_


	11. Truth or Dare, Round Two

Chapter Eleven: Truth or Dare, Round Two

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', Jackie, or Lily.**

**Warning: This does contain some AU and OOC because this is a transcribed version of a role-play with Bax Embre.**

"Ashlynn Mustang."

Ash looked up to see an officer from personnel standing before her desk. She hastily got to her feet and saluted.

"Yes, sir?"

"You've been reassigned."

Ash blinked, surprised. "Reassigned…?"

"You are to report to a different commanding officer, Major."

"Understood, sir." Ash glanced over at her uncle, who looked absolutely crestfallen. She smiled apologetically and followed the other officer, who led her down the hall before knocking on a door.

"May I ask who I'm being reassigned to, sir?"

However, the door opened and her question was answered.

"Hi, Ash!"

Ash blinked in surprise before she smiled in relief; at least she being reassigned to someone she knew. "Good afternoon, Colonel Havoc."

Jackie stuck out her tongue slightly, a grimace on her face. "No formalities. It sounds weird."

Ash laughed. "Okay, okay."

* * *

"Okay, let's play Truth or Dare!" Jackie exclaimed.

Ash groaned. "Let's not. Remember _last _time…?"

"An alcohol-free game, I swear."

"Sounds like fun," Lily piped up. "After all, I haven't played it in ages…"

"Fine…" Ash sighed, laying on her stomach and crossing her ankles in the air as she placed a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

"Okay!" Jackie's voice rang with excitement. "Riza, Sheska, come and join us!"

The five of them were already in their pajamas, but were far from tired. Besides, Jackie's logic was that no one actually slept at sleepovers. The game of Truth or Dare began.

"So, let's see…Lily!" Jackie started.

"Truth," Lily told her. "I know better…"

"Do you like Master Sergeant Fuery?"

Lily flushed slightly. "Yes…"

"Knew it."

When Riza later called on Ash, the younger girl replied "Both" after some careful deliberation.

"Have you kissed Edward as of yet?"

Ash was surprised that _Riza _was the one asking that it took her a while to answer. "No…" she murmured, flushing slightly.

"Hmm…Then your dare…You have to kiss him on the cheek tomorrow."

Ash flushed a little more, but nodded anyway. At least it was only the cheek…"Jackie, Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"Um…Have you ever liked anyone? Besides my uncle, I mean?"

"Well…There was one…" Jackie murmured. "Envy…"

Ash was completely clueless, but Lily gaped at her twin.

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, shush," Jackie pouted. "It's not like any of the chimeras were good-looking…He was probably the only decent male in the lab…"

When Ash called on Jackie again, the older woman said, "Dare."

"You have to wear a miniskirt tomorrow."

"What!" Her eyes narrowed then. "Ash, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare! Oh, no, wa—I did—Oh, crap…"

"You have to _actually_ kiss Ed tomorrow after you do the cheek."

Flushing, Ash called on Jackie.

Riza sighed. "And this is where we sit back and watch…"

"Huh?" Sheska looked at Riza. "What do you mean?"

"I'll get more popcorn!" Lily said happily as she went to the kitchen.

* * *

Jackie tugged on the miniskirt, praying that no one would look up. She maneuvered around the tree branches, and let out a triumphant noise when she found that her hiding spot gave her a perfect view of the courtyard of Central Headquarters. She saw that Edward was coming towards the tree she was in, and knew that, judging by the time, Ash would show up at any minute…

"Right on time…" Jackie grinned as Ash walked into view.

The young girl stopped briefly when she spotted Edward, but then she quickened her pace somewhat and went up to him.

"Morning, Ash," Edward said with a smile. "Hey, what's wrong…?"

Ash refused to look up at him, well aware that she was slowly turning cherry-red.

"You okay?"

She squeaked as he flipped his head upside down to see her face clearly. She looked away.

"Whoa, Ash, you're the same color as my coat! See?" He held up his arm as proof.

Ash looked away. _Just get it over with…_She took a deep breath and gave Edward a quick peck on the cheek, before quickly pressing her lips against his. The minute she pulled away, she ran off toward the front doors.

Jackie watched in amusement as Edward stood there, blinking and stunned, before he suddenly broke out into a wide, triumphant grin.

"Yes!" he said, pumping his fist in the air.

Jackie smirked and lowered her camera. "Blackmail is fun."

"Jackie…? Is that you up there…?"

Jackie groaned and looked down. She couldn't see him through the leaves, but she knew that Roy was at the base of the tree. Judging by the sound of his voice, she was somewhat thankful that he wasn't directly beneath her.

"Yeah, it's me…"

"What are you doing up there?"

"Hiding."

"Why?"

"I don't want you to see what I'm wearing…It's embarrassing…"

"Well, you can't stay up in that tree all day. You still have to work, you know."

"Aw, man…" Slowly, carefully, and reluctantly, Jackie began to climb down from her perch, softly landing on the balls of her feet. She tugged on the skirt and stepped around the tree.

Roy's eyes went wide as he blinked dazedly. "J-Jackie…?"

"Oh, hush up. It was a dare."

"You look cute," he grinned.

Jackie grumbled and looked away, crossing her arms and flushing.

Roy merely chuckled slightly and held out his hand. Jackie took it, still grumbling and still tugging on the skirt with her free hand. They parted ways at Jackie's office; she waved slightly and closed the door. Roy continued down the hall, opening the door to his office and finding a giant teddy bear occupying his chair. He went over to it, slightly confused, and saw a card tied to the ribbon around its neck. He read it and smiled just as his subordinates came in.

"Morning, Colonel," Ed said cheerfully before he noticed the bear. He smirked, but said nothing.

"Hey, Colonel," Jean began. "So, what's that? Your new girlfriend?"

"Shut up."

"What, went through all the girls is Central already?"

"Shut. Up."

"Wait, I'm right?"

"Shut up, Havoc!"

* * *

The last dare Jackie had to fulfill: go on a weekend trip with Roy. Alone. The other condition was that Lily had to be the one to pack her things.

As the two sat down, Jackie, not trusting her sister, unzipped her duffel bag. She looked inside and growled slightly. Inside, the contents consisted of miniskirts, most of the clothing in shades of pink.

"Lily…"

"What's wrong?" Roy asked, glancing over at her.

"Nothing," she snapped, yanking on the zipper to close the bag.

"Okay…"

_Maybe I can find some normal clothes to wear once we get there. There's no way I'm wearing those things for the rest of the weekend…_


	12. New Home

Chapter Twelve: New Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist' or Jackie.**

**Warning: This is based off of a role-play with Bax Embre, so expect some AU and OOC.**

Roy sighed.

"Why the long face, Roy?" Hughes asked, nudging his friend's shoulder.

"Well…You know what I want to ask Ash…"

Hughes nodded. "But why is that making you gloomy? Shouldn't you be happy about it?"

"But what if she says 'no'?"

"Then it won't be the end of the world."

Roy sighed again. "I guess you're right…"

* * *

"What's the occasion?" Ash asked as her uncle teasingly as he held the door of an ice cream parlor open.

"No reason."

They sat down with their ice cream. Ash started eating hers right away, but Roy poked at his.

"Ash…?"

"Yes, Uncle?"

"I have a question for you…"

"Yes?"

Roy cleared his throat. "Would you like to be adopted as my daughter?"

Ash had had a spoonful of ice cream halfway to her mouth, but when Roy finished his sentence, she lowered the spoon back down to her bowl.

"It's fine if you don't," he said quickly. "I know you still have grandparents up in North City. It's just…I don't want you to feel…"

"Of course!" She got out of her chair and went over to hug him. "I'd like that…Dad," she added with a grin.

* * *

"I got the papers all sorted," Roy announced. "I'm your legal guardian now."

Ash nodded. "Okay."

"And Jackie decided that it calls for some celebration…"

"_Another _party?" she joked.

"Yes, another one."

"Let's hope this one doesn't get out of hand…"

"I doubt it."

Ash gave him an incredulous look. "You're kidding, right? Something always goes wrong when Jackie's a party guest."

"Not alwa—Okay, maybe you're right…Parties with Jackie never really end well…" He trailed off, as if remembering incidents from their childhood.

"Exactly."

* * *

When the party did come around, Ash was beginning to think that it might actually be a normal one. Nothing bad had happened, and it was pretty low-key, more of a social gathering than anything.

"Congrats," Jackie grinned as she approached, handing a glass of punch to Ash as she spoke.

"Thanks…" Ash replied, taking the glass before taking a drink. Jackie watched her attentively, waiting to see what would happen.

It took a while, but eventually the young Mustang looked like she was getting a little tipsy. Jackie grinned a little to herself and wandered off, feeling that her work was done. However, when she later looked around, she realized Ash was nowhere to be found, and neither was Edward. As much fun as it would have been, Jackie decided that provoking Roy was not the best option at the moment, so she went in search of the couple.

She wandered up to the second floor when she couldn't find them on the first. She opened the door to Ash's room, but then heard a soft _THUMP_ coming from a closet further down the hallway. She looked at the closet quizzically before there was another _THUMP_.

"Those sounds shouldn't be coming from a closet…" she murmured to herself, going over to investigate. She blinked when she opened the closet.

"Okay, young lady, get out of there before your dad finds you and before you get carried away. Ed, you should head back down to the party after you've, uh, put your shirt back on…" With those words, Jackie led Ash away, leaving behind a sputtering, red-faced shrimp.


	13. The Snake Rears Its Head

Chapter Thirteen: The Snake Rears Its Head

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist' or Jackie.**

**Warning: This is based off of a role-play with Bax Embre, so expect some AU and OOC.**

The rain had started off being a soft shower, but was slowly becoming a storm. Ash stared out the window, slightly giddy from the rain, but feeling sorry for her new dad, who would probably have a hard time getting home. That's when she turned to the kitchen, feeling that the least she could do was have dinner ready for him when he returned from his late shift.

She was just setting the table as the lights in the house went off.

"Great…" she sighed, wiping her hands on her apron and groping her way to the front hall to find the emergency supply of candles.

Ash set down a lit candle on the table in the foyer, getting ready to light a few more when the doorbell rang. Her brow knit slightly in confusion and she went over to answer. She was surprised to find Edward standing on the doorstep, his wet hair flopping down in his face.

"E-Ed? What are you doing here? I thought you went to Resembool to get a check-up with Winry…"

"I came back early," he replied with an easy smile. "I didn't need any repairs or replacements. So, can I come in?"

"Um, yeah, come on in. I just made dinner. Hurry up and get in here before you get even more soaked than you already are."

He followed her inside, that same smile on his face. She closed the door, and was about to turn back to the kitchen when she found that Edward had gently planted both of his hands on either side of her, practically pinning her to the door. Heat crept up into her cheeks.

"Um…I need to, uh…" she trailed off, gesturing helplessly towards the room she had intended to go to.

"Flustered much?" he teased, bending his head to claim a kiss.

She squeaked in surprise, beginning to struggle a little bit as he continued with increasing, and unusual, passion. When she finally did manage to push him away, she was now flushing with a combination of anger and embarrassment.

"What is wrong with you?" she demanded as she inched away from him.

"Guess I don't do a good job at acting like the half-pint alchemist." Edward's voice was warping, and red alchemic light was sliding up his body. Soon, the afterimage of the light fading, a young man with long green hair had taken the blonde's place.

Ash jumped back in surprise. "Who are you?"

"Envy."

She took another step back. "Then you must be a Homunculus…"

"Let me guess, Jaquelynne told you about me."

Ash was silent.

"You're not a very talkative one, are you? Well, that could make things easier…" He took a step towards her, but then the door opened.

It only took a Roy a second before the stranger was engulfed in flames. Ash began to gape as she watched him regenerate.

"Great. The Colonel Flame is here…"

"Get. The. Hell. Out."

"Fine. We can wait a little while longer, but the plan is being set into motion." He left without giving any further explanation.

Roy turned to Ash. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Ash shook her head, vaguely noticing that her hands were trembling.

* * *

"Hi, Ash!" Jackie exclaimed, practically slamming her hands down on the table, causing Ash to squeak and jump.

"Jeez, what the heck is wrong with you?"

"Um…Well, Envy came to the house last night when I was home alone…"

Jackie blinked a few times before she sigh-groaned and lowered herself into a chair. "Great…What did he do?"

"H-he kissed me…"

"Whew…Ed's not going to be happy about that…Speaking of, isn't he coming back from Resembool today?"

Ash nodded and planted her face into her hands, her appetite now lost.

As if on cue, a familiar voice piped up. "Hey, why do you look so down?"

She let out another squeak and looked up into Edward's gold eyes, flushing slightly with shame. She slowly got to her feet and grasped his hand in hers. "Ed…I need to talk to you…"

"Um, okay…"

She led him upstairs to her dad's empty office. "Envy showed up last night."

Edward groaned. "Stupid palm tree," he muttered under his breath.

"He kissed me…" she murmured.

Edward blinked before exploding into a rant, going on and on about how he was going to the kill the Homunculus. Ash was silent as she listened to him.

"I'm sorry…" she finally said.

"It isn't your fault," he told her quickly. "It's that damn palm tree…"

Ash opened her mouth, but the door opened; Roy and his subordinates came in. The colonel's eyes immediately narrowed suspiciously, and as Ash tried to rack up an explanation, Alphonse showed up out of nowhere to show off the new stray cat he had picked up. Edward and Ash used the opportunity to escape; Jackie followed.

Outside, the two teenagers sat beneath a tree, and Edward wrapped his arms around her, comforting her. Jackie scaled the tree above them and watched, holding two branches in her hands. Ash sighed and slightly pulled away.

"Thanks, Ed…" She then sighed again. "Jackie, we both know you're up there."

"No, I'm not. I'm the tree."

Ash rolled her eyes.

That's when Jackie fell out of said tree. She immediately got to her feet, striking a sort of pose and sticking her arms out in an odd angle. "I'm a sapling!" she declared.

Edward stifled a laugh as Ash rolled her eyes again.

"Ashlynn Rose Mustang!" The colonel's voice was distant, but clearly irritated.

Ash sighed and got to her feet, tugging on Edward's hand. "Okay, let's go…"

They headed back inside and Jackie followed, still toting her two branches.


	14. The Next Move

Chapter Fourteen: The Next Move

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', Jackie, or Lily.**

**Warning: This is based off of a role-play with Bax Embre, so expect some AU and OOC.**

Ash laughed at the face Jackie was currently making as she retold a story from her childhood days with Roy, who was currently looking embarrassed.

An officer approached the group, saluting. "There are a couple of visitors for Major and Colonel Mustang," he announced.

Ash exchanged a confused look with her uncle, who only shrugged in reply as they both stood to follow the officer to the front gate of headquarters. When they had reached the gate, the officer indicated the pair of girls waiting there. Ash stopped short, her eyes growing wide. There was a silence as the two newcomers stood and stared back at her. Suddenly, all three of them were squealing and talking at once.

"Wait, when did you—?"

"Where have you—?"

"I missed you guys!"

Roy chuckled slightly. "I was wondering where you two had disappeared to…"

"Uncle Roy!" They then turned their attention to Roy, attacking him with a double hug.

"So, Rae, Crys, where were you? How come you weren't with your sister when she first came to Central?" Roy questioned once the excitement of the twins' arrival had died down and the four of them had gone inside.

"Well…" Crystal started hesitantly.

"We thought she died," Rae cut in, blunt just as she always was.

Roy's eyes were wide, glancing over at Ash with something like a 'what-the-heck-were-you-doing?' expression. "Um, and you thought this because…?"

Ash let out a nervous giggle. "Well, after Mom and Dad died, we were heading up to North City to live with Grandma and Grandpa…But, um, I kinda…fell off a cliff…"

That same 'what-the-heck-were-you-doing?' expression returned to Roy's face. "And you two didn't try looking for her…?"

"That was the problem," Crys explained. "I guess she washed up further downriver than we had thought, because we didn't find her when we tried looking."

Roy let out a semi-exasperated sigh. "Honestly, the three of you are a handful…"

"Oh, be nice, Dad," Ash told him teasingly.

"Wait, 'Dad'?"

"What have we missed?"

Ash laughed. "Long story…"

"Well, we wanted to come and stay with Uncle Roy for a bit, so we've got plenty of time," Crys stated.

* * *

Ash sighed happily as she walked down the hallway of Central Headquarters, remembering the previous night's dinner, still pleased with the fact that she had finally been reunited with her sisters. As she made her way to the office Jackie and her subordinates shared, she saw Roy turning the corner.

"Good morning, Dad."

It was probably her imagination, but she thought she saw confusion and shock flash across his face. "Good morning, Ash…I need to talk to you."

"O-okay…" she said, following as he headed for his office.

He closed the door behind them before turning to her.

"So…what did you want to talk about, Dad?"

"I need to get you out of the way." With those words and a smirk, Envy revealed himself.

Ash jumped back. "Dammit, you again?"

"Me again," he replied as his smirk spread to an evil grin.

"What do you want?"

"All in due time, Ashlynn. All in due time…" He closed the distance between them, but she lashed out with her recently transmuted automail.

"Stay back!"

He grinned at her. "Oh, so you want to do this the hard way, huh?" he asked, bringing a leg up to kick her in the side.

The space was small, and Envy's agility got the better of Ash; it wasn't long before she was crumpled in a heap on the floor. With a final smirk, Envy resumed Roy's form. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with Jaquelynne. And don't worry—someone will eventually come to find you and the Flame colonel." He left the room and made his way to the front gate of headquarters, where Jackie was waiting.

She leapt to her feet as he approached. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry…I had some paperwork to take care of before the Lieutenant started nagging me about it."

"Okay…So, are you ready, now?"

He nodded and took her hand, leading her down the street in the direction of a restaurant. Before they reached their destination, Envy pulled Jackie into an alley.

"Roy…?"

"Sorry, he's unconscious at the moment," he told her, returning to his original form.

"What the heck did you do to him, palm tree?"

"Relax, he'll be fine, Jaquelynne. He's not _too _injured."

"What do you want?"

He simply smiled secretly as he returned to Roy's form a second time. He took her hand again and led her to the restaurant they had originally been going to. They sat down, and he ordered sake. When it came to the table, he poured some for Jackie and slid the cup across the table to her.

"Okay, what's this for?" Jackie asked, clearly not remembering the last time she had alcohol…

"Drink up, Jaquelynne."

She sighed and down the sake in no time. "Okay, I drank it. Now, what do you want?"

Again, he didn't answer as he poured her another cupful.

With a second sigh, she finished it off. "Seriously…What do you…want…?" Her words began coming out slower, slightly slurred.

Envy leaned forward. "I'm looking for answers, Jaquelynne. I want to know about your family. We've gotten some infor—"

A single, manic giggle escaped Jackie's lips. "The funny little man-woman is asking too many questions…" Her head snapped up, her eyes focusing on Envy as a grin spread across her face. "The funny little man-woman should die."

That's when all hell broke loose. Jackie began to chase the Homunculus around the restaurant as the customers and staff ran away screaming.

"Dammit…!" Envy panted, back in his original form, looking around for the chimera. "Where did she—?" He was cut off as Jackie killed him.

"Aw…he's gone…" But then her eyes lit up when Envy regenerated. "Ooh, you're fun…" And she began to chase him again.

"Dammit…!" he repeated after a while, having lost count of the number of times Jackie had killed him.

She killed him once more, and he felt himself returning to his _true _form. "No…!" he squeaked, flailing about in his worm-like form. Jackie then began to follow him around as he tried to wriggle away, intent on stomping on him.

That's when Lily finally arrived, knocking her twin out. Envy sighed in relief, but then groaned when Lily trapped him in a jar. "I'll take care of you later," she practically growled.

But when Lily was trying to find him that evening, it seemed as if the Homunculus had just disappeared.

* * *

Edward poked his head into the room. "Hey, you awake, Ash…?"

"Yeah." She sat up and smiled at him from the hospital bed.

He approached, setting down a small bouquet of orchids down on the bedside table as he pulled up a chair. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I should be going home soon…To be honest, I didn't really think Envy had caused this much damage, but I'll be fine."

He nodded, thinking, _That jerk is so dead!_

The two started chatting, but Edward eventually dozed off, resting his head on the mattress. Ash sighed with a slight smile, stroking his head a few times, knowing he had probably been worrying about her.

"Nngh…Ash…" he muttered in his sleep.

She blushed a little and laughed slightly.

"Run away from the demon bunnies…I'll protect you…" Somehow, his hands joined together in a clap, and he ended up transmuting a portion of the bed frame into a sword. "They're gone now…Ash, I'm glad you're with me…" This time, he ended up transmuting the mattress into a sort of manacle around one of her hands. "You smell good…" At this point, he had nipped at her trapped hand, but wouldn't let go.

"Dang it, Edward….!" She muttered, flailing about just as her sisters and Jackie and Lily came in. "Guys, get him off me!"

It took a while for them to oblige because they were too busy laughing.

* * *

"Are you sure she's okay? I should go check on her…" Roy murmured worriedly.

"Nope, the doctor said to stay in bed," Jackie insisted. "Besides, Ash is being released today. _You_, on the other hand, are still injured. Really, you should be the one at the hospital, but…" Jackie shrugged and returned her attention to the book she was reading.

"But—"

"Nope."

Roy scowled and stared at the ceiling for a bit. "No, I need to go check on her…" He attempted to get up, but Jackie used her alchemy to form shadow-ropes around his wrists and keeping him attached to the bedframe.

"You. Need. To. Stay. In. Bed."

Roy sighed in frustration.

Meanwhile, Ash was just opening the door. "It's good to be home again…" She headed upstairs to go check on Roy, and to let him know she was home. She was about to open the door, but then she heard Roy's voice.

"Can you untie me now?"

"Nope."

Silence.

"How about now?"

"Nope."

Another pause.

"Now?"

"Nope."

"N—?"

"No."

Ash blinked and then walked away. "I don't even want to know…" she muttered to herself.

* * *

Edward groaned. "What is it with Jackie and closets?"

Ash banged her head against the wall. "I don't know…" she whined. "I don't even know why she stuck us in here this time…"

"How long has it been?"

"Almost an hour, I think…"

"Hmm…" the young blonde mused, debating on whether or not to put his shirt back on since it was still pretty stuffy in the closet.

Finally, the door opened.

"It's about time!" Ash exclaimed, jumping up to her feet and glaring at Jackie.

The Tigershadow Alchemist merely grinned at the two.

"What the heck is that grin for…?"

"I was recording the whole thing." With that, Jackie took off, laughing.

"Oh, great…" Edward facepalmed, becoming red.

"I'm going to kill her…!" Ash said, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment.

* * *

Ash was a little ashamed knowing that she had done it, but it was payback for all of Jackie's teasing. More than anything, Ash was just surprised at herself for the _idea _she had used, taking a leaf out of Jackie's book and locking Roy and Jackie in a completely sealed-off office.

When Ash informed Jackie of what she had done, she was grinning. "Well, you two had fun, didn't you?"

"Oh, shush. We were…playing Monopoly, that's all," the older woman sniffed.

"Some interesting game of Monopoly…"

That's when Rae entered the office. She smirked slightly and commented, "Hey, Jackie, I didn't know you could do that with alchemy."

Jackie facepalmed. "Okay, okay. Ash, promise to not blackmail me, and we'll stop the revenge cycle. Deal?"

"Alright," the Aquametal Alchemist replied with a grin of her own.


	15. Christmas Eve

Chapter Fifteen: Christmas Eve

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', Jackie, or Lily.**

**Warning: This is based off of a role-play with Bax Embre, so expect some AU and OOC.**

**Note: Prefect timing for this chapter, huh?**

"IT'S SNOWING!" Jackie announced loudly as she practically barged into the Mustang house.

"Yes, we kind of noticed," Roy replied in amusement, nodding out the window.

"Then why are you still in here?" Jackie asked him, tugging on his arm. "We should be outside having a snowball fight, or something! Come on!"

* * *

"Why you do this, snow?" Jackie grumbled as she sat at the window, glaring outside. "In Drachma, this much snow wouldn't be a problem…"

Outside, Central City had a layer of snow that just barely reached the second floors of buildings, and it had been that way for a few days. It had been fun at first, since everyone had been at Roy's when they had been snowed in, but Edward and Jackie were beginning to get fidgety. _Especially _Jackie.

"This is boooooorriiiiiing…I want ooooooout…"

"Stop complaining," Edward snapped, his patience at its thinnest.

"Make me, shrimp."

"WHAT'D YOU JUST CALL ME!"

"You heard me, shortie."

"WHY YOU—!"

Ash sighed and went upstairs to her room to avoid the argument, and so she wouldn't have to bother the others who had found their own pastimes. She flopped onto her bed, as bored as any of them. She sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, staring out the window.

"Hmm…" After a moment, she got to her feet and went over to the window, throwing it open and looking out over Central. She stretched out a hand to touch the snow, thoughtful.

"I wonder is it's possible…I mean, snow is just crystalized water…" She frowned. "But to get rid of all of this…That's alchemy on a huge scale…"

She sat at the window, debating. Finally, she sighed and stood to locate her gloves. She knelt by the open window and took a deep breath to steady herself, before she clapped her hands together and touched them to the snow. Blinding alchemic light surrounded her, and the snow slowly began evaporating, becoming a thick layer of fog overhanging the city.

When the snow was completely gone, Ash stumbled over to her bed. _So…tired…_

* * *

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty," Jackie teased when Ash finally stumbled downstairs the following afternoon.

The Aquametal Alchemist merely grumbled incoherently and started for the kitchen in order to try and find something to eat.

"I made you coffee," Jackie offered, holding up a mug. "That was some alchemy you did last night."

Ash smiled wearily. "Thanks…" she practically croaked, taking the cup gratefully. She was about to take a drink, but then remembered the spiked punch incident. "On second thought, I'll make my own…" She set the mug down on the coffee table and went to the kitchen.

"Dang it…" Jackie grumbled.

"Hey, is anyone drinking this?" Crystal asked, indicating the mug.

"Well, no, but I—"

"Yay!"

Jackie was about to stop her, but then remembered that she had yet to see how Ash's sister reacted to alcohol. So, instead, she sat back and watched hopefully.

However, Crystal didn't quite meet her expectations, because she only passed out on the couch about ten minutes later.

Jackie huffed. "That was boring…"

* * *

"Alright, let's see…" Ash murmured to herself, glancing over the list in her hand and then back to the pile of presents she had spread out on the coffee table. "Okay, I got a present for Jackie…Lily…Dad…Rae…Crys…" She continued to read off her list, and then groaned. "I knew I was forgetting something…"

"What's wrong?" Roy asked, glancing over at her.

"I forgot to buy the supplies for Ed's present…" She got to her feet. "I'll be back soon," she told him, going upstairs to grab a wad of money before she headed back downstairs.

"Ash, everyone's going to be here within the hour, though…"

"I know. I know exactly what to get. I won't be long," she promised.

* * *

Ash was humming slightly to herself as she started walking back home, a bag containing a teddy bear, red fabric, and silver metallic-looking material swinging from her hand. However, she hadn't even reached the halfway point before she heard Envy's voice.

"Pleasant evening, isn't it, Ashlynn?"

She whirled around to face the speaker. "What do you want this time?" she spat.

"It's a pity that I have to kill off one of my favorite alchemists," a voice came from behind her, and her eyes widened, horrified to find it was a familiar one.

She began to turn around, but someone hit her across the face, and she found herself sprawling into the alleyway beside her. She struggled to get herself up on her hands and knees, trying to stop her disorientation. She looked up to see that seven people were surrounding her. One was the palm tree, and another…was the Führer. Ash's eyes were wide.

"What…?"

Something collided with her head again, and she was rolling across the cobblestones. She staggered to her feet and transmuted her automail, getting into a fighting position. However, Ash was beaten, outnumbered and against a skill far greater than her own.

She looked up dizzily when she collided with the wall of the alley. Everything was swimming in front of her, and she wondered how hard she had hit her head.

Envy knelt so he was eye-level with her, a grin on his face. "Whoa, you look pretty beat up."

She groaned once. "Why…?" she managed.

"I'd say you'd find out, but you're not going to be around that long." He smashed her head into the wall again, and she blacked out.

The Homunculi faded away, leaving the young alchemist for dead.

* * *

Roy glanced at the clock, sighing. "Ash should've been back by now…" he murmured.

"Then let's go look for her," Jackie suggested, even as Edward was already halfway out the door.

The young blond and his armored brother took one street as the others tried another one. Alphonse was ahead of his brother, checking into the alleyways that he passed. He froze at the entrance of one.

"Brother!" he choked.

Edward hurried over, not liking the tone of his younger brother's voice, dreading what he would find. Whatever it was, he hadn't been expecting what he did see. "ASH!"


	16. A Twist of Events

Chapter Sixteen: A Twist of Events

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'Fullmetal Alchemist', Jackie, or Lily.**

**Warning: This is a crackfic based off of a role-play with Bax Embre, so it does have AU and OOC elements.**

The atmosphere in the hospital waiting room was tense and grim. Edward was pacing, and Roy was sitting in a chair with his face buried in his hands while Jackie attempted to comfort him. The others were scattered around the room with worried expressions on their faces. After what felt like an eternity, their attention tuned to the doctor that had been working on Ash.

Roy jumped to his feet. "Well?" he demanded anxiously. "How is she?"

The doctor's lips were pressed into a thin line, the faintest of smiles. "Her condition's stabilized."

Roy fell back into the chair he had been sitting in, relief flooding through him. That same relief seemed to spread through the rest of the room, infectious.

"However," the doctor continued, "I'm afraid she's entered a comatose state as of right now…" His voice had become grim, apologetic.

Roy turned his face to the doctor, his relieved expression turning into one of disbelief. "Will she be okay?"

"She should be, but I don't know how long it will be before she wakes up. I'm very sorry."

Roy slumped back into the chair, a tired sigh escaping him and making him seem older than he really was. "Can we see her?" he finally managed to say.

The doctor nodded.

* * *

Roy let out a sigh of relief when he answered the phone. He thanked the doctor and hung up before slumping into a chair.

"What happened?" Jackie asked.

"Ash woke up. The doctors said that she seemed pretty exhausted, and that she fell back asleep almost immediately, but she's okay. We can go visit her tomorrow."

* * *

Ash was still half-asleep when she opened her eyes a second time since her accident. The room was dark, disorienting. She could hear soft thumps in the background.

"Who…?" she mumbled.

"Hey, just go back to sleep," a voice whispered back. It seemed familiar, but Ash couldn't quite place it…

However, she was all too willing to oblige. Her eyes closed, and she drifted to sleep.

* * *

The next day, Ash was fully awake and conscious when she opened her eyes again. Winter sunlight filled the hospital room as she slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position.

_How'd I wind up in the hospital…?_

She looked around, her brow knitting with confusion when she saw that someone had decorated the room with tinsel and had placed a miniature Christmas tree in the corner.

_It's Christmas…?_

Suddenly, the door burst open.

"Santa Jackie has presents!" A red-haired woman entered, her voice loud and cheerful, a bag slung over her shoulder and a Santa hat on her head.

Ash jumped a little, startled. Before she could speak, however, her room quickly became full. There was a white-haired woman, identical to the redhead. A suit of armor. A young blond with a bright red coat. Several military officers, including Hughes, were standing either in the room or in the doorway. Her sisters and her uncle.

She blinked in surprise. "Rae? Crys? When did you get here?"

Everyone in the room exchanged puzzled glances.

"Um…" Crys started hesitantly. "We arrived in Central about three months ago…"

Ash looked startled again. "Central? But, we were just outside of New Optain…"

Again, puzzled looks passed through the room.

"Are you feeling alright, Ash?" Roy asked hesitantly.

"Well enough, I guess…I mean, I'm still a little confused about how I ended up in the hospital…Do you know what happened, Uncle?"

The word seemed to almost physically wound him. "No…" he murmured.

"You don't mean…Do you know who I am?" Jackie demanded, staring at the young alchemist.

"I don't think so…" Ash said slowly. "I _think _I've seen pictures of you in my uncle's old photo albums, but…"

Jackie shook her head, still disbelieving. "You couldn't have forgotten Ed, could you?" As she spoke, she slightly shoved the blond in Ash's direction.

Her eyes widened…but not in recognition. "I'm so honored to meet you," she said respectfully, dipping her head. "The youngest person to receive a State License…" Her voice was full of admiration.

Edward swallowed hard, forced himself to nod back, and then excused himself. Alphonse followed.

The room became silent, and then Jackie cleared her throat slightly. "Um, anyway…These are for you, Ash…You, uh, kinda missed Christmas…" Silently, Jackie handed Ash a small, rectangular package from her bag.

"Thanks…" Her voice was full of uncertainty as she accepted the gift, and began to open it. Pulling back the tissue paper inside, she discovered an oval-shaped locket, and inside, she found a small photo of her and Edward. Her eyebrows knit in confusion.

"Oh…" Jackie, unusually somber, held out a hand for the locket. Too confused by the discovery to do anything else, Ash dropped it into her palm without a word.

* * *

"It must be hard for her, don't you think? Losing two whole years of her life?" Lily asked Jackie in a soft voice, nodding to Ash when she entered the office.

"How do you think I feel? Or Roy? Or Ed? We've lost her, in a way…" Jackie replied, almost grumpily.

"It also makes me wonder what happened on Christmas Eve. She must have hit her head pretty hard to have caused this much damage…" her twin murmured, a sad look on her face as she looked at Ash.

Jackie seemed to let out a growl. "What's the psychological shock she needs…? It's already been three weeks…"

Lily sighed again. "Poor Ed…I think he has the worst of it…"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Ash piped up curiously.

The twins looked at each other for a moment.

"Well, Ash, you've been—"

"Oh, no, you don't!" Lily exclaimed, clamping a hand over her sister's mouth. "Your explanation will just traumatize her…"

"That was the idea…" Jackie muttered.

"You see, Ash, you and Edward…Have been going out for the past two years…"

"W-we have…?"

Lily nodded.

"And your explanation is no fun…" Jackie pouted.

Lily rolled her eyes and then turned her attention to Ash, seeing how she would react. Might it have triggered anything…?

"But…" Ash frowned slightly. For whatever reason, it sounded true…

Lily sighed, and Jackie let out another semi-growl. "This is ridiculous…"

There was a single knock on the door before it opened. The Havoc twins immediately snapped to attention, chorusing, "Good afternoon, sir" in unison.

"Good afternoon," King Bradley responded with a slight, dismissive wave allowing them to be at ease.

"What brings you here, sir?" Jackie ventured after a few moments.

"I heard one of our alchemists was back." The Führer then looked at Ash, a smile gracing his face. "It's good to see you back in action, Major."

The color in her face drained, and she collapsed.

Lily rushed over, and Bradley frowned slightly.

"Or perhaps she should take some more leave…?"

"It's okay, sir. We'll take care of her. I'm sure she'll be fine in no time," Jackie said quickly.

He nodded. "Look out for her, Colonel."

"Of course, sir."

He nodded and left the office.

Jackie then turned to Lily, who had managed to lay Ash down on a couch in the room. "What was that all about?" she hissed, but her twin only shrugged in response.

After a few minutes, Ash started stirring. "Nngh…" Her eyes fluttered open.

"You back?" Jackie asked as she leaned over her.

"Wha…? Where…?" Ash suddenly gasped and sat up quickly, the blood rushing to her head. "OmigoshtheFührer'saHomunculus!"

Jackie and Lily stared at her, eyes wide in disbelief.

"He's…Are you sure?"

"I saw it with my own eyes! He attacked me with the others!"

"So _that's _what happened Christmas Eve…"

Ash nodded vigorously, and then got to her feet. "We have to tell the others! If the Homunculi are controlling this country…We have to do something!"

"Ash, wait…" Lily said gently.

"What?"

After a pause, the Lilylight Alchemist finally continued. "You might want to salvage your relationship with Ed, first…"

"What do you mean?"

"You…forgot him…"

"I…What? How?"

Lily tapped her own forehead. "You got beat up pretty badly…"

She sighed, a guilty expression already on her face. "How bad…?"

"It's bad…" Jackie said. "You really need to go see him before we do anything else…"

* * *

Jackie waited on the roof of the house the Elrics had taken residence at, keeping an eye out for danger while Ash and Edward had their "mushy lover's reunion". The Führer would undoubtedly try to get rid of Ash, and anyone else that she may have told about his affiliation with the Homunculi. And, just as the Tigershadow Alchemist had expected, five came.

However, she was ready for them, and they were dead in almost no time. However, the scent of blood was all over, exciting her senses…She forced herself to sit down and take deep breaths.

"Ommmm…nommmm…nommmmm…Ommmm…nommmm…nommm…"

Ash, hearing that the commotion had died down, and that Jackie was apparently meditating, decided it was okay for her to poke her head out of the window.

"Jackie, are you meditating, or just hungry?"

"Booooth…Anyway, I need to borrow the phone…"

When she got the phone, her sister answered on the other end. "What is it, Jackie?"

"Lily, I need a change of clothes…I got blood on what I'm wearing right now…"


End file.
